Meanings
by Brinkmess
Summary: Going out into the world can be a rather terrifying thing to do, especially when you find out that the worth of your life actually has a price, or when you have no memory of who you are. Mainly MarLux and AukoRoku. Possibly more pairings
1. Amaryllis

Well, here is my first authentic AU ever.

If you've read my other work, you'll probably know how this is going to work. This story, despite the fact that it is other-worldly, will be as serious as it can be-without boring the readers- and will have dark moments. Trust me, there will always be a plot within my stories, smut will never do unless there is purpose behind it! That, and I'm dark minded by nature.

Lastly, I'd like to thank a dear friend of mine who forced me to write this story out. I've never written a story for this odd pairing, nor have I written for AukoRoku, so it'll be a "great" experience. I know this is not the first "human X dangerous species", but I am more than willing to make it unique for the others. Oh and there will be no vampires in this story. None, should you be wondering. Thank Twilight and every other vampire fic for helping me come to this decision.

Enjoy.

* * *

-Chapter One-

"The law states that slavery amongst fiend type creatures is not illegal, as it clearly states that they are, in very nature and soul, not human," Xemnas said, walking slowly around the oval shaped table. He gave glances to the few who sat around it, making sure each and every one of them were either reading the documents handed to them, or listening to him. "It also states, that during a time where population is low, we may come to means in order to bring said population up; as long as it is humane."

He stopped at his seat, the one at the very end of the table and looked to the few eyes that carefully looked to him.

"As many of you know, the southern forests are inhabited by a feline fiend; Homo-Felid," Xemnas said, letting his hand rest on the colorful map that inhabited his table space. "They make wonderful servants, seeing that, for the most part, they are not very aware of life outside their forest home." Xemnas lifted the map up and stared at it for awhile, his amber eyes lingering and the huge green shape that covered a portion of the lower part of the map. "But the forest is almost impossible to get through, not even the tribes that are located near the rim of the forest will be of at any threat…not with so many dangers protecting them. No, unless they decide to leave the forest on their own, we are incapable of using them to any vantage.

"And the forest high up north no longer contains any tribes," he continued. "From what we have seen, all northern species of Homo-Felid have either fled deeper, so deep that we are no longer able to locate them, or they have left their home completely." He frowned; "This means that we are no longer able to gather more of the fiends and our labor forces will eventually drop…unless-"

"Xemnas," a voice spoke. Vexen stood up from his seat and stared coldly at the younger man. "If I may permit?"

"You may," Xemnas said.

"The species may be a fiend type, and although we have used them as a source of labor for years, I must say that I refuse to accept whatever idea you plan to use in order to get more of them under our arsenal," Vexen said, his arms crossed.

Xemnas smiled, "but you have yet to hear my plan."

Vexen shook his head, "I don't need to, and you seem to have given us enough information."

Xemnas looked around and stared at the many eyes leering at him and Vexen. "Have I," he asked.

"The Reproduction Factor," Lexaeus said in disgust. He gave Xemnas a rather distrusting look. "Any human shaped fiend is capable of sexual reproduction with a regular human…am I to assume you want us to go an-"

"Right," Xemnas said, "I forgot you live right next door to those creatures." He gave a small laugh. "Then I'm sure you know better than anyone else that they are nothing more than simplistic creatures, living and dying by instinct rather than by thought."

Lexaeus scowled. "I refuse to believe anyone in this room would do such a thing…"

"Not that we would have to," Xemnas said. "We are powerful men; money is the least of our problems." He walked over to Lexaeus' seat and let his hands fall to the many papers. "You have human servants pleasing you…however; not many people can afford such luxury."

"That's sick," Larxene butted in.

"It's life," Xemnas said. "We cannot go far into the forest, and once word got out of us capturing their kind, they'll only go deeper into the forest. Their genes are much stronger than ours, so it's a win-win situation."

"Surely there is another way," Vexen said. "We can afford better labor elsewhere. I refuse to put myself on the line of any possible consequences."

"Vexen," Xaldin said, "since when has there ever been a record of their kind birthing a human? "

"Well, none," Vexen said, "but it's not like they would ever breed with us anyways." He glanced around the table and frowned. "There are other species we can rely on."

"The elves have driven deeper into their homeland," Xemnas said. "And they've begun to retaliate our advances."

"We're lucky they didn't bloody start a war," Xaldin added.

"Any other specie is too dangerous and wild to control, let alone enslave," Xemnas said. "What to these…_Nekos_ have? Claws, shaper canines? They won't stand a chance…"

Everyone remained silent, not willing to say a thing to Xemnas' statement.

No one was willing to admit that their country was low on funds. The elves had fought back some time ago, their past source of free labor, and surprisingly enough, they had to give in the fiend's demands. Nobody had suspected they would fight back, and they would have fled once they won. Man thought they would win the battle, that once things settled down they would reclaim their prize. But now the elves were gone, missing from the entire continent. Tired from a year's war, and low on funds, they needed the economy to settle itself back to normal. But they didn't have the high numbers anymore.

The Reproduction Factor stated that, should the numbers of free labor become too low, the owners may engage in sexual reproduction with their servants in order to bring numbers up. It was a very old law, once used on human labor, but had been decided to cruel. However, in the case of using it on fiends, it was completely different. A Neko may look human-like, but were anything but. They contained animal qualities, as well as physical characteristics of a cat. They hunted without the use of tools, and they lived in a simple society-lacking any basic household structures or form of power. They barely used fire, consuming most meat raw. It was facts like these that made the idea of enslaving and using them so easy.

"There will be a vote," Xemnas said. "And since I was the one who had brought up, I will hope that I can rely on the intelligence of you five to come to a good decision." Xemnas began to make his way back to his seat and looked carefully at the five. "One that will benefit us in the long run."

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Vexen said hastily.

"Eager to change the minds of our younger members," Xemnas asked.

"What makes you think that," Vexen asked.

"Well, have you not realized, that aside from the fact that Larxene had barely made a comment, that our newest member had yet to say one word since the beginning of this meeting," Xemnas questioned. He looked over to the young man sitting silently on his seat, his blue eyes now staring right into Xemnas'. "Marluxia, do you not agree with me that Vexen may try to persuade you and young Larxene to take his side?"

Marluxia looked over and stared quietly at Vexen, then to Xemnas. He hadn't said a thing throughout this meeting for a reason.

He honestly could care less.

Why was he supposed to care about some dumb cat people? Or about the poor economy? Unlike them, his family had one well the past several years; his father doing whatever they could to make sure the land was prosperous. Marluxia supposed it was all those years of his father's hard work that killed him, that this was why he was in this godforsaken meeting to begin with, but in the end he couldn't help but be a little thankful. The use of elf labor simply never took in his county, his parent deciding human slavery was much more beneficial in the end. It was more expensive, but it had proved itself in the past several years. While other counties throughout the country were desperately trying to catch up with produce and product, his was continuing to make profit.

And as for Neko usage; they had been seen, but hardly ever used. Marluxia could only recall once in his life where he had seen a Neko wander his homeland and no sooner had the two made contact did the creature run off. What could he say about them? Two seconds were not enough for him to decide whether they were savages or capable of sophistication.

"I suppose it would be best if you both stayed in this room," Marluxia said. "Considering this may not affect me in the long run, it would make no difference what side I choose…"

"Marluxia," Vexen said in a warning tone, "perhaps you don't understand the consequences for the other-"

"I think I know what I am doing," Marluxia snapped.

Xemnas smiled, thinking that Marluxia had chosen his side over Vixen's, but that wasn't the case. Marluxia like Xemnas just about as much as he liked Vexen…and that wasn't saying much. He could think of a few reasons why he would vote against the rule, but at the same time he could think of a few reasons as to why he should support it. Marluxia was a smart man, and although he hated politics, he knew it was his very decisions that would affect his people.

"I think a recess is at order," Xaldin stated. He glanced at both Vexen and Xemnas. "We will come to a decision in thirty minutes, deciding whether or not to let this old law come to pass."

Larxene groaned. Lexaeus stared nervously at Vexen. Both Vexen and Xemnas kept an eye on Marluxia.

And Marluxia could care less.

* * *

All of Luxord's life had revolved around the forest. From the moment he was born, up until this very second; he had grown up living in a world colored in lush greenery. It had been the whole world to him, and as far as he knew there was never an end to it, because what could possibly lie past the thick trees and brush?

"I'm thinking about leaving," Axel said, settling himself on the tree branch just below the one Luxord was laying on.

Luxord had been resting, tired from a long day of work. It had been his turn to go and watch the younger members of the tribe, and caring for them had left him feeling rather exhausted. He had figured relaxing in one of the more difficult to climb trees would leave him with some peace and quiet, considering few people ever bothered.

He had been wrong.

Luxord tilted himself a bit, looking down to the redhead underneath him.

He had known Axel his whole life. This was startling news to him. He thought he knew Axel quite well, and figured he was comfortable with the living arrangements that he had been given.

He tried to think of a reason as to why his friend would say such a ridiculous thing. After all, they were a close knit kind, living and dying amongst familiar faces.

"Can't find a mate," he asked curiously.

Axel shook his head.

"None of the females are to your liking," he asked. He moved a bit and rested his stomach on the branch, making sure his body weight was equally spread out. His tail slowly moved from side to side, a bit nervous from hearing Axel's statement.

Axel shook his head. "No, it's not that," he said, not looking to the older male.

Luxord lowered his arm and let it dangle in the air for a few second, then began to swing it casually.

Well, what else could it be then? Axel was a rather good hunter, and he was an excellent caretaker. He fit in well amongst the tribe. He fit in. He was loved.

Why leave?

"Are you going to tell me," he asked.

He watched as his companion looked up to him, green eyes leering at him with little confidence. Luxord wondered whether Axel was serious about his statement. Many of their kind remained in the tribe they had been born to. Sure, once in a while one or two-a year- would leave for another tribe that was close by, hoping to find a mate that suited them, or perhaps to remove themselves and attempt to become more self dependent. It was a rare thing though. And why axel would want to leave was beside him, considering what a lovely location their tribe was in.

"Would you be willing to come with me," Axel then asked.

Luxord's eyes widened in surprise. He got up from his laid back position and huffed a bit, his tail puffing up and expanding in size. The very notion of it surprised him, almost frightened him.

He saw Axel's ear tilt and narrow. Luxord frowned and sighed.

"Why leave," he asked.

"What's here that we can't find yonder," Axel said, looking off to the vast green scenery. He looked back to Luxord and gave an apathetic smile. "I want to go out and see…"

Luxord's eyes widened.

"You're not talking about merely joining another tribe," Luxord muttered, "are you?"

There was a long pause, the older one listening carefully to the stuttered breathing of his friend. Luxord's eyes glanced to the vast green that was the only home he knew. He squint his eyes, but could see no end to the forest. How on earth could Axel suggest leaving this world? The very thought of him leaving the only family he knew seemed strange, almost frightening…and Axel was hinting at leaving the forest-their home!

"No," Luxord said, looking down to see Axel's disappointed face. His ears lowered even more, and sadness seemed to envelop the younger man's expression.

"There is more to life than just hunting and gathering," Axel said defensively. Not that it mattered. Luxord refused to change his mind, and hopefully this would be enough to get Axel to change his. "I've heard stories about the kinds of creatures out there…and not too long ago there were outsiders who have spoken to members of the outer forest."

"We all have," Luxord said. He sighed. "But if we were meant to cross paths with them, we would live amongst each other…" He sat himself in a comfortable enough position and looked at Axel with a more relaxed expression. "But we don't. Our kind with our own, they live with there own."

"Because few of us hardly ever try," Axel said. Luxord felt the branch move a bit as axel made his way up to the same level as him. He frowned, his ears lowering in annoyance.

"That won't make me feel obliged to tag along," Luxord said. He shook his head. "And why now did you decide that this life was not good enough? And why ask me…?" His arms crossed as he looked away from his long time friend. He couldn't help but feel a bit betrayed by this. Were it not for the fact that the two had different mothers he would have sworn Axel was a blood sibling, not just a nesting sibling. Hearing Axel spout reasons of old stories made him upset. Stories about creature like them, but able to use magic, or creatures that were half fish or bird; they were takes one told the toddlers before sending off to rest.

"I was bored for a while," Axel admitted, "I just couldn't come up with the right words to say it till now."

"Quite blatant," Luxord said hastily.

"Perhaps," Axel said. He frowned a bit and looked to Luxord. "But should you know, I chose you because I know you may be growing bored too."

Luxord stared oddly at Axel and chuckled a bit, finding what he said to be just a bit humorous. Perhaps too humorous. Axel was on his case no sooner did he start chuckling.

"I'm serious," Axel said, "I don't see you with your mate."

"I have better things to do…" Luxord said.

"Like lie around a tree all day," Axel commented. He smirked. "How old are we now…too old to be single, that's for sure…but too young to taken seriously." He stood up and glanced over to the green scenery. "We have got to get out of here…"

"Such a crazy thought," Luxord muttered. "Sit yourself down before you fall and break you're neck."

"I know we're not the only ones who have ever thought about leaving," Axel continued. "I know others from the outer tribes probably left…"

"Really? And whatever happened to them," Luxord asked.

Axel shrugged. "I think they found whatever the hell they were looking for."

Luxord sighed. Leaving the forest? True, there could be a great deal of wondrous things out there…whoever there was, but it seemed so strange to Luxord. Not even after hearing Axel spout his nonsense did he feel any better about it. But then, what could be said about his life right now? His life was a continuous schedule. And, although it was something he grew used to, it was not really saying much about him. And even if he and Axel were only moving to a new tribe, it would be the same. A new schedule, but for the most part, more of the same, only with different faces.

"What if you don't find what you're looking for," Luxord asked. "What if we travel for months, years, and only end up empty handed?

"You know we'll always be welcomed back home," Axel said. "And I doubt we'll fail at finding what we desire."

"Desire? We?," Luxord asked. "Last I checked you were the one so desperate to go."

"You want to go too," Axel said.

"Well then," Luxord said. "What, may I ask, are we looking for?"

* * *

Marluxia didn't have to think hard about the end results about the vote to come. There were six of them, and Xemnas would not be allowed to vote. Lexaeus, being that he lived close by the creatures and had apparently grown a bond of some sorts with some of the tribes, would vote against this law. Vexen, despite being a man of science, did not look highly on the idea of raping a non human species in order to gain a higher number of slaves. He also had doubts about the Nekos bearing only Nekos, saying that there was always a chance of them bearing a human child. Marluxia didn't see how such a thing could happen, since the pregnancy would be over at the seventh month, and therefore was sure Vexen was wrong about this point. And even if he was right, the congratulations; the law would crumble…but he doubted it.

Larxene and Xaldin would vote for the law. Both of their counties were high north, were another species of Neko lived, though much smaller in number compared to the ones that were suspected to live in the southern forests. And both of them were desperate to get more products and more money; this law could only benefit them. Sure, Larxene thought the law was sick, but it wasn't like she would have to do the dirty deed himself. And Xaldin, well; he actually could see the man doing such an act.

So it would come to his vote.

"Marluxia," Xemnas called.

And there was the man he was waiting for. The richest and most powerful out of all of them, the one who owned the most land and respect; the man Marluxia hoped would approach him.

"Xemnas," Marluxia said, turning around and facing the man. He knew Xemnas was a smart one, and he knew Marluxia would be the one to determine whether this law would be passed or not. "Is there something bothering you?"

Xemnas smiled. "I was wondering whether or not there was something bothering you?"

"Oh," Marluxia asked.

"A young man," Xemnas said, "just entering this world of laws and politics, the very govern of this country…it must be stressful."

Marluxia feigned a smile. "It was something I was bred for."

"Yes, and I assume you're taking your very first meeting quite seriously," Xemnas said. "At least, I hope you are, considering how very important it is."

Marluxia's smile gained realism in it as he saw the look of desperation on Xemnas' face. The man wanted this law to pass. He needed more power, and when it came down to it, he would gain the most from this law passing. Xemnas ruled a bit county…and in order to meet demands he would need more energy input than anyone else within the six counties.

"I am," Marluxia said. "Though, I'm going to have to admit; this will not affect me so much whether I decide to let this law pass of not. After all, I live in an area that they would hardly pass by…"

"It could be benefiting," Xemnas said, his eyes leering at Marluxia.

"Could it," Marluxia muttered, staring back at Xemnas.

"Quite," Xemnas said. He smiled. "You live by the sea, right? Perhaps, should this law pass, the naval trade of your land should profit by certain…means."

Marluxia frowned a bit. More ships? Was all Xemnas was willing to give to him?

Xemnas continued. "And, or course, should my word get out about your ports and trade routes…perhaps I could up traffic and give you a bigger profit through exotic trade?"

It was better, but not by much. Marluxia would love to have more rare items from foreign countries, but word could only get out so far. Xemnas may have a port of his own, but it wasn't as vast as his, and Marluxia doubted whether him spreading word would get him far.

"Hey," Larxene said suddenly, causing both men to stifle from surprise. "We need to come to a decision now." she frowned. "And I prefer to be on my way home soon; considering it is a three day journey."

Both men nodded their heads, glad that it hadn't been Vexen who had spotted them consulting with one another. Granted, Marluxia didn't hate Vexen like Xemnas did, but he figured the man to be far too hotheaded for his own good. Vexen had this habit of assuming that, just because he got along well with his father that Marluxia would get along well with him. Not true. Marluxia had better things to do that listen to what Vexen had to say, considering they had so little in common.

Marluxia and Xemnas both walked into the room, and as they did Marluxia could see the look Xemnas gave him before sitting down. He was really hoping Marluxia would vote yes on this law.

Marluxia shook his head. What Xemnas promised was either too little or just not realistic. There was no real reason as to vote yes, and Xemnas hadn't delivered a good enough gift for him.

"Marluxia?"

The young man lifted himself up and stared at the others who sat before him. Had voting already begun? Marluxia would have hated to admit that he was too far into thought and hadn't paid attention.

"Your standing," Xemnas said.

Marluxia gave a glance to Larxene and Vexen, who sat at his left. They must have already voted. What were their standings? No matter. It made no difference to him. In the end, it was a pointless law that gave slave owners a right to fuck their animal servants.

"I'm against," he answered.

He heard a small grumble escape from Larxene, but he dared not look her way. Not that he was afraid of her. He just didn't want to see the look on Vexen's face. Speaking of which, Marluxia had a rather great view of Xemnas' rather dark expression. He could see the two amber eyes looking at him in a mixture of rage and disappointment. Marluxia pretended not to notice and looked down, signifying he had nothing else to say and that his decision had been made. And soon after Xaldin and Lexaeus were asked on there standing for the law, and no surprise; Lexaeus voted "against" while Xaldin voted "for". It didn't matter about their votes; the decision had already been made. Everyone in the room knew Marluxia was the odd one out, and his decision would have affected the outcome in the end; no one else's would have mattered more.

But Xemnas had the face, still angered and upset, throughout the rest of the meeting. He his eyes did not falter away from Marluxia, something that Marluxia disliked greatly, and the meeting seemed to drag on much longer than it was supposed to from here on end. Marluxia knew he would not suffer so much, though he could expect a few rough words being thrown about, and wondered if he should hide behind Vexen momentarily. He wasn't a coward or anything; he just didn't want people to hear that he was bribed on his first important meeting as judicial. No, actually, he could have probably handle that, it was knowing that he almost took the bribe, and that Xemnas was expecting him to say "for"; that was what he didn't want others to know.

So it was no surprise that Marluxia hurried for his carriage, possibly in more of a hurry than Larxene, and quickly told the coach to take him back to his mansion as soon as possible. He would not remain under Xemnas' court any longer, refusing to stay the night and risking a long night of possible robbery just to get the hell away from here.

His first day as a politician and he was emotionally shaking in his boots.

But of course it was only a matter of time before he found himself deep in thought, wondering about the situation at hand.

Had he really done something good?

Lexaeus lived in the south, right next door to the supposed feral fiends, and he was against the Reproduction Factor. Although the two hardly spoke to one another, a sad thing since they were practically next door neighbors, he knew there was good in him. Enough for him to make a law forbidding slavery and slave trade throughout his property. Several villages were forbidden to harbor slaves. And yet, in the five other lands, including his own, there were no laws saying that a Neko was not allowed to be mistreated. Unless the Neko had a license, assuming it was from another country, it would enslaved and sold. Even if the Reproduction Facto had not passed, Marluxia knew there were Nekos out there being used for such acts. Pleasure slaves were not rare. The only thing he stopped were humans and Nekos breeding amongst each other.

Nothing more, nothing less.

And it bothered him…

Marluxia groaned. It was a four days journey back home, and all he could think about were damn cats. It was going to be a long ride.

* * *

It didn't take long for Axel to say goodbye to his family. He was one of four, from two litters, so the goodbyes only lasted for a short while. Luxord found himself almost regretting his decision as he tried to sat good bye to his family, which was easily twice the size of Axel's; his family possessing three litters and more children. A bigger family meant a lot of tears, which made Luxord feel rather guilty about leaving. And if it wasn't enough; the whole tribe stood silently as Axel and Luxord made their way through. Two of their kind leaving in one day, and out of the forest no less; it was a rather hard thing for the tribe to bear.

Axel seemed to be able to hold himself steady as he took his first step into what he assumed would be the adventure of a lifetime. Luxord faltered.

The two had traveled light. They were in no worry of running low on supplies, seeing that they knew how to find what they were looking for. Aside from the knives on their leathered pants, they carried small bags of their own, containing a few treasured items. That was all.

The first day went much faster than Luxord could have hoped, though. He had feared it would drag on and on, and that he would only become depressed as his wandered back and forth between past and present. He was only so happy to see the bright moon above him. Axel had complained about them traveling too slow, saying that he wanted to be out of the forest by the end of the second day. Luxord agreed, but only because he felt an overwhelming desire to hurry back home. It was decided that the two would wake up earlier, extending their travel time and, hopefully, leaving the forest before the days end.

Eventually the two came across a tribe they were not too familiar with, and they soon realized they were close by. Small talk told them that there were villages a few miles away from the forest and that they would be welcomed there, should they decide to visit. Both of them listened carefully to the detail they had been giving, especially when they were told of what inhabited the villages.

Humans.

Tall, lean, appearing to look very much like them; but with a few different characteristics. They lacked the tails that Axel and Luxord had been born with, and their senses were much weaker too. Despite the weather the land possessed, the humans wore clothes all over their bodies. Not because they needed protection from the wild life or from nature itself, but for personal reasons. Humans also lived in their own personal spaces, and they were very independent of one another. Although they hunted in groups, they hardly shared with one another.

The two left the tribe feeling rather unsure of themselves after that.

"I think we ought to avoid these humans," Luxord muttered after the long break of silence the two had created.

"You think so," Axel asked.

"They sound odd," Luxord replied. "They sound…strange."

"Yeah, when you're right, you're right," Axel complied. He gave a quick turn around and frowned. "But what'll we do when we can't find a way around them?"

"We'll find a way," Luxord said confidently. "They apparently are not as physically talented as we are…we surly find a way around them. And if we can't; we just ignore them."

Axel nodded his head. He then hurried of to the leading position he was in, a hand on his satchel and the other swinging casually. How on earth he could remain calm was surprising to Luxord.

"Why do you think they told us to not leave the county line," Axel asked.

"Hmm?"

"The county line," Axel said. "We're not supposed to leave the county line for some reason," he said.

Luxord shrugged, despite the fact that Axel was in front of him.

"Perhaps that's when the land changes," Luxord said, the answer sounding like a question. He had no real idea what a "county line" was, being that he had never heard the word before. He could only assume it was a part of land, perhaps territory, but of what he wasn't sure. "I mean…if the forest does end, I suppose the land would look rather different…but even that land must change, right?"

"I guess," Axel said, shrugging as well.

"You think our kind are not supposed to be on the land," Luxord asked.

"If so, then we ought to go there," Axel said with a laugh. He gave a glance to Luxord. "A definite must, if I do say so myself."

"And anger the natives," Luxord said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I'd rather not risk getting ourselves into trouble…"

"The whole point of us leaving was to discover a few things," Axel said. "Can't live and learn without getting ourselves into a bit of trouble now, eh?" Luxord could see the younger male's tail swish a bit in anticipation.

"…I suppose," he muttered.

Luxord looked up and the thick forestry above him. A part of him was truly excited about what may lie ahead of him. He and Axel were probably one of the very few who had ever left the land they had grown up in. And they would be in the even smaller handful of those who would, perhaps, discover something of great importance.

What this importance was, not even Luxord knew.

He'd just have to wait and find out.

* * *

Important question. Should this be a mpreg? I know my friend, bless her twisted heart, wanted this to be a mpreg, but I want to know what your feelings are about this. I tend to make my mpregs a bit more realistic-not all guys are happy to find out they defied nature-and tend to make it work, but if the majority of you are uncomfortable with this, I'll try to mess with a few things (in case this pairing is too much as it is). It's important that I know as soon as possible, ok?


	2. Oleander

I'm quite surprised at the amount of hits this story has gotten, as well as the amount of favorites and alerts. And I got reviews from people that I normally don't get reviews from, which is always a nice thing. So, so far, out of the reviews I got, the results for the mpreg are;

Y-2

N-1

And I got two votes that say they wouldn't mind, depending on whether I can work it well or if it's just whatever I want. Thanks for your input, definitely helped me decide where to go with this story. Anyways, enjoy.

* * *

-Chapter two-

Roxas glanced at the huge mansion outside his carriage window and gave a soft sigh. He could honestly say that he was not expecting to be home this spring, so soon. He hardly ever visited his family home, considering that his boarding over at his uncles was so much more welcoming. After all, breaks between his teachings were not very long, and considering it took several days to get to the mansion, it was easier that he stay at Vexen's. But even as he rested at his uncles, he did whatever he could to refrain from talking to his relatives, not being able to really "bond" with them. The longer he stayed out of the country and learned more about the exotic world around him, the less he wished to come back to his roots.

But the day had finally come. As the only male born from within his family it was expected that he return home right after his completed studies and take over the family business.

It wasn't that Roxas was proud that he had completed his studies faster than most that he would be leaving the sunny coasts and bright skies only to return to the cold and windy property that his family was so unfortunate to rein. It wasn't that he wasn't looking forward to see his older sister Larxene, or the mile load of work that he would have to look through, doubting his sister had taken the time to actually go through all documents and such. Roxas just didn't seem to find anything to relate with anymore. After spending so long in what could have been another world, he just didn't see the lifestyle he had lived so long to be desirable. It almost made him want to resign his future duties and let his sister keep them. He could care less about the honor of it.

But it wasn't long before Roxas found himself walking through the gates of his childhood home, his blue eyes glancing at the thick vinery growing on the walls, the huge fountain of an angel spouting out cold clear water, and the giant window panes that he once looked out of. He could see small remnants of snow scattered about the front yard, human servants cleaning it up and ridding of it so that the flowers that decorated the front would not be harmed. Roxas hurried right into the front doors, but theses images seemed to be stuck in his mind, trying to find the similar older memories so that he wouldn't feel so out of place.

As soon as his presence was known several servants made their way toward him. A few past him by, hurrying over to get his luggage while others stayed by his side, taking his outside coat and shoes, replacing them with something more comfortable and suitable for walking around on the soft wood flooring.

He was approached by a young woman. Not a servant. A secretary. Roxas nodded his head as she bowed down to him and greeted him.

"Master Roxas," she said, her eyes lowered just a bit.

"Is my sister here," Roxas asked. He dropped any small baggage he had left on him, letting any nearby servants take it.

"She had to go to see Lord Xemnas," she replied. "A meeting was called on the status on slave population. I've received message this morning that, should the weather remain calm and that she'll be here by nightfall."

Roxas gave another nod as he made his way down the long hall, eager to get to his room and relax after a long day of merely sitting and waiting. Larxene's secretary followed tail, going on and explaining the current situation of the county the pass few days. Roxas did whatever he could to seem interested on his land, but found just about everything else to be much more interesting.

Almost immediately Roxas took notice in the feline servants that were busying themselves with daily chores. Nekos only occupied to countries, one being a small island and the other being this country, so it had been awhile since Roxas had seen one so up close. But this wasn't the reason why he had his eyes set on these particular feline fiends.

"I assume there is a reason why all these Nekos have black coatings," he muttered to the secretary.

The young woman looked up and stared at the many black coated Nekos.

"Your sister has taken a liking to their coat color," she said. "I suppose since black is a bit rarer for their species, and it is a rather nice color as well."

Roxas shook his head. Yes, of course his sister would choose the servants by the color of their fur. Competence and loyalty had nothing to do with it; as long as they looked good then that was all that mattered, right?

It didn't make much sense to him. Not the black coats, but the usage of Nekos.

Roxas wasn't going to deny it, slaves were essential for getting things done. Slaves built up the foundation for this country. They were a wonderful source of cheap labor, and considering the life span of a Neko or Elf, though slavery did subtract years, they ensured that they would be working for a long time.

But as mentioned before, Nekos only occupied so many areas. The last year Roxas had spent most of his time along the crisp coats, were the only slaves to be seen were human owing time for past crimes or wages. Sure, further inland he saw a few fiends, though these fiends were very different from what Roxas grown around, being much simpler and slower than a Neko. And it was this that brought Roxas to go over what made a slave. A human was declared to be smart, powerful, chosen by god, and declared to be the rulers of the planet. But one who found himself in trouble would end up becoming a slave, though temporary. Fiends were said that they could become a slave, seeing that they were simply not human. That was the reason. Yet Roxas couldn't help but see a bias with this law. Werewolves were in the category of fiend, but were not enslaved, if anything; they were feared, and in some countries they were considered god like. Mer-creatures were fiends as well, and they were very simplistic too. Mermaids would sometimes walk the earth, to feed and mate, but they were never captured and enslaved. The reason behind this was because they were quoted to be far too dangerous, too instinctive, and therefore would make poor slaves. For the longest time elves were used as slaves, but even Roxas knew better that they were extremely intelligent creatures. Were it not for the war, humans would still be using them too. And as for Nekos, Roxas found himself on the same side as he did with Elves. His books had told him that Nekos were very instinctual, but living with them has shown him that they, like elves, were intelligent. They could be talk to read and write, something that he had been shown from Lexaeus, which alone made Roxas feel very uncomfortable.

He was living in a strange world. And everyday Roxas became more sure of himself that he didn't belong in it.

* * *

"I kind of feel bad for the little guy," Axel said as he cooed the small animal in his arms. He lifted the small rabbit and stared at it with a smirk. "Though, I got to admit he does have a nice fur coat…" Axel nuzzled the creature, inhaling its strange new scent. "It'll make for a sweet pelt…too bad it's so small."

"Don't play with your food, Axel," Luxord said. He frowned at the redhead and shook his head. "You'll stress it out."

"But look at it," Axle said, hurrying over in front of Luxord and swinging the tied up rabbit in front of Luxord. "You have to admit, not even the food back at home was this adorable. Sorta reminds me of the kittens back at home…"

"Don't compare our infants to food," Luxord said.

It was their third day of traveling, and both Axel and Luxord had managed to break through the forest. For the first time in their lives they had left their only home.

Their was a huge difference between the forest and the plains they had been walking through the past several hours. Tall green trees and vines were gone and both of the Nekos could see the clear blue sky, without and object blocking them. The moist ground was hot and dry and huge blades of yellow and light green grass. What few trees there were out of the forest were scattered about, and not nearly as big as the ones they were accustomed to. The bright sun blared down on both of them, and considering there were no trees covering them, both found themselves out in a surprisingly bright world. It was a strange, peculiar sight. Even Axel seemed a bit intimidated with what he was seeing.

The first step out of the forest was long. Very long. Even Luxord thought the moment dragged a bit. Axel spent a good several minutes carefully "scanning" the area, checking and making sure it was safe enough for them to leave.

Luxord had been the one to take the first step.

Although it had been a frightening moment for him, a voice deep within Luxord's head kept reminding him that the fact that there was a world outside the forest was crazy enough, to leave it and wander about would be insane, Luxord wasn't going to lie that it did give him an amazing sensation. In some way he was able to show Axel that the dry earth wasn't poisonous or…whatever Axel was afraid of. It gave him a feeling of superiority.

And so, for several hours, the two traveled through miles upon miles of tall wet grass, stopping once in a while to take a look at the new scenery or to give themselves a small break.

Eventually they came upon a few trees that bore familiar fruit, and they were able to capture a small rabbit, though for the longest time they were a bit unsure of what to do with it since most living forms of "food" or "prey" tended to be bigger, faster, and gave something close to a fight. All the rabbit did was scream, and although it was startling, it only pissed them off. In the end, Luxord dubbed it food, figuring that since it tried to run from them it must be edible to several other species. And if it wasn't, it had a nice coat, and Luxord and Axel figured decorating their bags would be a nice way of adding some character to it.

Luxord looked up to the sky, squinting just a bit as he wasn't so used to seeing the whole sky without branches getting out of the way. It was well past half day. He stopped and glanced behind him, checking to see how far he and axel had traveled. He could see the miles of green and yellow, the small village they had passed, a few trees and rocks, but could barely see the small mound of deep green that represented his home.

He sighed.

"Something wrong," Axel said.

Luxord turned and stared nervously at Axel. He immediately shook his head, trying to not show any sign of weakness.

"So, like, where do you think we ought to go first," Axel asked suddenly. Luxord shrugged, not really sure of where the two ought to go.

"You figure going in a straight line will take us anywhere," Luxord questioned. "I mean, it will eventually take us somewhere, right?"

Axel thought hard about what Luxord had said and gave a small frown. "You know…I'm not entirely sure."

"The path we took to get here was practically a straight line, aside from detours to stock up at the tribes," Luxord said. "We'll get somewhere no matter where we go. That is, unless there is somewhere you personally want to go?"

"Well," Axel said. He moved his arms a bit, trying to move the rabbit in his arms to a more comfortable position. "I think we should find an ocean…"

"An ocean," Luxord asked.

"Yeah, you know," Axel said, "a lake so big that you never see the end?" He smiled, his tail lifting up and moving quickly from side to side, "and with all sorts of different kinds of fish?" He walked right next to Luxord and continued to go on. Luxord could only stare in awe at how fast his friend was talking.

"So you want to go to the ocean," Luxord asked sarcastically.

Axel pouted.

"Yeah," Axel said cheerfully. "And maybe we can see one of them fish creatures that everyone talked about back when we were little…"

Luxord chuckled, "that's just a silly story…"

"Silly," Axel muttered, "vicious fish monster attacking everything in sight is just silly?"

"It's not real," Luxord said, smirking at the younger male. "Fish have gills…the creature described in the stories had bodies like ours…there is no way they could live in the water without air."

"Well, maybe they just swim right above the surface," Axel suggested. "You never know…yesterday we found out there are creatures like us, but without tails or ears or any sense of…well, anything! It's like I said right before we decided to leave, Lux." Axel let one of his hands to the side of his pants and pulled out a small knife. He handed the rabbit to Luxord. "Sides, the fact that there's a giant lake out there with giant fish sounds cool enough to have a look at, don't you think?"

Luxord stared at the now shaking rabbit and then to Axel, "Well, I suppose it would be rather cool."

"Something to definitely mention to everyone back at home, am I right?" Axel began to remove the rope binding the rabbit while Luxord readied the rabbit to a more exposed position.

"Ocean it is then," Luxord muttered as he knelt down and pressed the rabbit to the ground. He stared up at Axel, "which way is the ocean?"

Axel looked over to the direction the two had been walking and then off to the side.

"I say east," he said.

"Is that a guess?'

"Yes, yes it is," Axel said, without the slightest hint of shame. "But think about it; the forest ended."

"It sure did," Luxord said. He looked up and stared at axel curiously. "Not sure what that has to do with the ocean though…"

"The worlds got to end sooner or later," Axel said. "East or west doesn't really matter. We'll hit the end of the road."

"Then why not head back south," Luxord questioned, his own tail now swishing about. Although he was quite used to Axel's mind games, he had to admit that he was beginning to get just a bit annoyed.

"In all the years we've wandered the forest, I don't recall ever seeing the end of land," Axel said. "Just…big lakes…"

"If the world ends, then wouldn't it end all around, rather in just some places," Luxord questioned. It was really the wrong question to be asking Axel.

"That's a wonderful question, Luxord," Axel said as he lowered himself while playing with his knife. "And the sooner we get back to our traveling, the sooner we are to finding out." He patted the rabbit's stomach and looked up to Luxord. "Light or dark meat?"

"I'd prefer dark," Luxord said, "but considering we no idea what our little friend has inside, I'll go with what is served."

Axel smiled.

* * *

Marluxia sighed as he walked about the small town, trying his best to not hurry about while he desperately attempted to stretch out his body. A long day of nothing but traveling had done no good to his body. He felt cramped and tramped throughout the whole ride, with no one to talk to but his own servant; and what conversation could be built between the two that wouldn't lead to some sort of awkward moment?

Marluxia was still a days worth away from his home. He glanced around his surroundings, not finding the dirt roads and poorly constructed buildings to his liking. Children ran about in hardly any clothing, and all adults around him didn't seem to care about this indecency. And what seemed to make it worse was this was his land.

He looked the west and stared at the "busier" part of the town; a few fish markets and a couple of boats lining the small port.

Marluxia hoped this was one of his poorer properties.

Taking control of a land, despite it only being the fourth largest, was something that Marluxia took great pride in. Perhaps it was the fact that his mother was a righteous bitch or his father was a perfectionist, either way, Marluxia loathed any signs of weakness. Having owning a land that was right next to a huge coast meant that Marluxia should be on top of everything. Trade would be his most powerful asset; being other countries were only just a ships ride away.

Still, Xemnas was above him. And to make it worse, Xemnas was probably loathing him right about now. Marluxia doubted that there would be a twisted relationship between the two from here on end, but he also doubted there would be a strong one.

Regret filled his chest, and right from that moment he began to wonder if he had made the right choice.

It would probably cost him more to purchase Neko slaves of his own, seeing that he would need a vast number to help fulfill all his chores. At least a good twenty. And although the people in his country could purchase slaves as well, he couldn't see them being able to afford a decent quantity as well. Not if they had half naked children running about…

It would take a while for Marluxia to make profit from all the slaves. But of course, once he did break even he was sure it would be smooth sailing from there on end. He could fire all of his human servants, and then wouldn't have to worry about paying them. And unlike human slaves, Nekos would work for life, so he wouldn't have to worry about sending them off.

Still, should he let go of any of his servants, he would find that he had men running around with no job of their own. And the men he hired were not built for farm life or sailing oceans. They would have to find work in other fields.

Marluxia could name several villages, all along the upper coast, that could produce jobs that would better for the men who worked under him, though not all of them would be close enough for their liking. This meant they would either have to commute or move entirely. This could lead to things such a debt, and Marluxia disliked debt.

Money, that's all what it had come down to.

Despite being rather young, Marluxia knew everything he needed to know about it. Without it he was nothing, and with it he was everything and more. The people looked up to him because of it, and should he ever run low, they would doubt him and possibly leave, putting him in an even bigger mess.

If he was ever to make a transition from human to fiend, it would have to be a fairly slow one, starting with his people and up. He would have to promote it in the farmlands, what little he owned, and then while doing so promote more jobs for those that will not longer be able to work once Nekos replaced their older jobs. He would then have to take things one small step at a time, repeating the process over and over again till the transition made its way toward his establishment.

After thinking up all of this, Marluxia couldn't help but crack a smile.

He hadn't made the wrong choice at all. By voting "no", he had saved himself precious time and energy. If he had voted "yes", there would be more bloody cats running amok, and Marluxia would end up in the imaginary predicament that he had thought up at this moment.

"Xemnas is a fool," he muttered. "People like Lexaeus and I would not profit from this at all…"

Marluxia scowled.

Xemnas must have known this? The man was smart, and even after suffering huge losses he was still on top of everything, surely he must have foreseen this?

And there he was, offering him all these, small, possibly useless deeds.

Xemnas was probably upset over the wrong thing. Marluxia betted that Xemnas believed he was found out, not because he didn't offer enough for him. Selfishness had made Xemnas overly upset. Still, it was this little bit of selfishness that saved him making a rather terrible mistake. Of course, he was going to have to deal with Xemnas sooner or later, and considering that Xemnas thought Marluxia's actions were based on another subject, he could be sure that their relations would be fickle for at least a good while.

Marluxia turned around and began to walk back to his carriage, his dark grey boots sinking into the softened dirt. His face twisted a bit as he felt his boots sink a bit into the salted, wet dirt.

Thos boots were expensive.

Oh he could not wait to get back home.

* * *

"So, am I to assume that you're here for good now," Larxene asked as she picked at her meal, her eyes leering down at the plate, away from her younger brother.

"Yes," Roxas said, doing the very same actions as his older sister.

"So I guess you'll be taking up my job then," Larxene said quietly. She held her knife up and pointed it towards Roxas.

Roxas shook his head. "Not for a good while," Roxas said. "You know I'm still too young." He gave a small frown. "I'm not yet considered an adult…"

He let his fork stab at his food for a few moments, letting the meat slide around in distaste. What conversation could he share with his beloved sister? Not one about love or remembrance and of course they just couldn't catch up with the good times. No, they had to talk about family power and who would take hold of it.

"and…all things considering," Roxas said, looking up a bit, "I could assume that, even after I reach adulthood, that perhaps the council will decide that you may be the better out of the two of us."

"Hmm," Larxene muttered. She grabbed her glass and began to drink.

Roxas frowned.

"So…did the ride home go well," he asked, his eyes once again looking away.

"What do you think," she said snidely.

"It's nice to see you haven't changed a bit," Roxas said with a sarcastic tone to his voice. He smiled at Larxene as he grabbed his glass. "And I suppose the meeting went just as well?"

Larxene chuckled.

"A bunch of men whining over this and that," she said. She took another sip and stared carefully at her younger brother. "The only difference was that this time I had something decent to stare at…"

"Who," Roxas said.

"Marluxia," she answered. "His father kicked the bucket, got to replace his seat." Another sip. "He's grown up quite handsome." Larxene smiled and looked over to her younger brother. "Unfortunately he's a lot like you…"

"How so," Roxas questioned. "I can easily say that you don't know much about me, given I haven't had a conversation with you with quite some time. Hard to make judgment, don't you think?"

Larxene laughed.

"I know a lot about you," Larxene said. "Think about it; three years and three small breaks in between, and you've spent them with Vexen?" She put her glass down and stood up from her seat. "You want nothing to do with us."

"That's not true," Roxas said.

"Well, you've at least grown distant," Larxene said. "I walked right into the halls, and what do you do as a form of greeting me? You stare." Larxene walked over to the huge painting to the side of the room and stared coldly at it.

"If it pleases you," Roxas said, setting his glass down. "I've considered not taking your position as a council leader." He turned to his older sister, "You don't have to worry about me changing things to your disliking…"

Larxene turned herself around and smiled at her younger brother. "You don't have to worry about that."

Roxas blinked, his expression changing as he tried to read Larxene's words.

"As I said before," Larxene said, walking over to her brothers chair, "Marluxia's taken seat. And he is a lot, and I do mean a lot, like you. He may not use your deduction of thought, but I can clearly see that he will be a problem."

"He voted against you in some sort of way," Roxas asked.

"Against an older law, one that would benefit some people like us," she said. "One that he probably would have voted against anyways…"

"Then why is it such a big deal," Roxas asked, relaxing a bit in his seat.

"I'll tell you why," she snapped. He relaxed her poise, fixing herself up in front of her brother. "…I saw and Xemnas conversing with one another, in the hallway that no one else was occupying, right before the meeting too."

Roxas frowned. So one of them was attempting to gain something? Xemnas or Marluxia; one of them was making a deal to the other. News like this wasn't news to him; he knew corruption was all over if you looked hard enough. But it was distressing to hear this nonetheless.

"Marluxia doesn't seem to care much about helping others," she said. "I've never been offered so much…it seems that he wants nothing to do with passing older laws."

"You truly think so," Roxas asked.

Larxene folded her arms. "I know so."

"Perhaps what he was offered wasn't good enough for him in the long run," Roxas said. "And if so, you throw out the suggestion that Marluxia is any different from everyone else. Because, honestly, I doubt he's a saint."

"Nobody's a saint," she said. "Not even you."

Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Well, if you excuse me," Roxas said, getting up from his seat.

"Leaving so soon?"

"Just tired," Roxas said.

"It's not even that late," Larxene said. She smirked.

"I had a very long day," Roxas said, "and dinner didn't help much either."

He made his way to the door at the end of the room, eager to make his way back to his old room. He didn't expect Larxene to say anything as he left the room, but it still upset him a bit that his only sister was anything but happy to see him.

But of course, what did he expect. The huge gap in age meant that Larxene would be in power and get used to it, and him getting older in age only meant the loss of the power she was used to. After years of making important decisions it would only be natural that she would feel hostile towards his return.

"Happy birthday to me," Roxas murmured to himself as he opened his door to his room. He made his way right into his bed and laid down, giving a long sigh as he tried to settle himself down.

He glanced out the window and stared into the deep blue sky.

Perhaps it was for the better that he take Larxene's job. Either way, she would never feel comfortable around him, whether he was in or out of power. At least if he was in power he could try to change things for the good.

"Happy birthday indeed."

* * *

Four days.

Luxord sighed as he tried to relax himself after another long day of traveling. He was sure after traveling so long he'd be tired, but instead he felt like he hadn't done a thing. He wanted to move around. He took a long breath and looked over to see that Axel was fast asleep.

Damn it.

Perhaps the joy of being on his own was finally sinking in.

Really, if he could place a feeling to what he had experienced the past several hour it would have to be something along the lines of joy. Perhaps not that powerful, but it was something along that lines.

The two had traveled quite a bit during the day, hardly making any stops. They didn't have to. Everything that was new could be seen while moving. Not that they didn't want to take in the new scenery, it was something else.

As they traveled further east the two began to notice there were, gradually, more villages or households. Both of them made sure keep a good distance from the small buildings, not entirely sure whether it was safe for them to approach the strange structures. But it was only a matter of time before they came across their first human; the strange looking creatures seemed to be all over the place.

They looked a lot like them.

In fact, it was the sight of humans that had to be the most fascinating thing Luxord had seen all day. The creatures looked almost exactly like them, aside from a few differences, that being they did have no tail, and their ears were significantly smaller and located much lower than his.

God, that was so weird.

He didn't get too close though, and in some ways, despite what he had said earlier, he was a bit upset. Humans were a lot like them for a reason, right? Everything else he had seen looked nothing like him. And with this thought came a swarm more; where id they come from, why were they here, why were they different, and so on. The very fact that there were others that seemed to be almost related to him made him really curious. Everything he had said to Axel before almost didn't matter much to him.

As for the rest of the day, it could easily be said that there were a lot more interesting things that were spotted. Aside from humans, both of them spotted a strange, giant bird like creature that roamed the new plains that they were walking through. Speaking of which, the tall yellow grass soon grew short and before they new it, they had entered a new type of terrain.

It seemed like the world only knew how to grow…

And the changes it brought were none the least bit surprising. Aside from the shorter, greener grass, there was a change in air. Yes, air. As strange as it sounded, both Axel and Luxord could agree that the very air they were breathing…had a salty taste. It was also cooler, the air. Both had grown in rather humid temperature, and the assumption was that the temperature would not change. Why would it? There was only one sun, and it didn't seem to change in size or shape as they went on…yet as they went onward it seemed to get cooler and cooler.

A huge problem when your only form of clothing was pants.

But after a long day of sight seeing the two settled down in what seemed to be a small forest. The trees were much smaller, and the wood itself wasn't thick and supportive enough for them to both rest in. The ground was littered with leaves and twigs from the trees, as well as small patches of grass and moss. It wasn't exactly what the two of them were used to, but it gave them a small sense of familiarity, so they settled and decided it would be a temporary resting-

"Axel," Luxord said suddenly, his hand roughly grabbing on to his friends. His ears perked up while his whole body stood completely still.

He felt his friend give a soft grumble, moving around a bit before opening his eyes and looking to Luxord with a small frown.

"What," he hissed. "You have any idea what time-"

Luxord immediately placed a hand over his friend mouth, covering it as his eyes darted about. It wasn't before long that Axel began doing the same, his green eyes carefully scanning the surroundings.

"…what is it," Axel finally asked, having removed Luxord hand. His voice was rather quiet and rushed.

"…I heard something," he whispered.

Axel slowly got up on his knees and continued to look around, hoping what Luxord had just said was not true. Neither of them was prepared for a predator, should something exist in this part of the woods. With only knives, they wouldn't stand much of a chance against a bigger animal. And since it was only the two of them, they had to hope it wasn't a pack of animals after them.

Both continued to remain absolutely silent, making sure that the only thing they could hear was whatever was out there.

…

…

…

Luxord's ears were the first to lower.

"Axel," he hissed. Luxord watched as his friend burst up from his position, already backing up. He was quick to do the same, quickly grabbing his and Axel's bag.

There was something out there, and it wasn't alone. It sounded as it was far off, but the calls of barking could be heard, and it was coming in the direction the both of them had come from. This meant they were being tracked by a multitude.

"Run," he said.

Both turned and made their way deeper into the forest, Axel right behind Luxord. He didn't have any real destination, just as long as they remained in the woods where they could hide and hopefully fade into the scenery. It was dark, and although his hair and fur color stood out, he was sure the both of them would be able to out smart whatever was following them.

"We gotta find a tree," Axel said.

Luxord looked around as best as he could to see what could make for a decent hiding place. Running and trying to not get attacked made it all the more difficult.

"Forget it," he yelled. "Whatever is following us is using our scent anyways."

"Shit," Axel hissed.

"We need to outrun them or find a river," Luxord said, his breathing getting harder as he felt himself become more afraid by the second. He could here the sounds of what was chasing them get closer, and the sounds of barking seemed to only be half of what was after them. He could hear something else yelling out there…but he couldn't recognize whatever it was.

"You think we can fight them," Axel said. Luxord could hear the tire in his voice.

"Doubtful," he said. His own voice sounded weak.

"Got to think of something," Axel said

"We can trying using a-"

There was a long howl coming from right behind Axel and Luxord, and as if it had meant something to them, both of them stopped in their tracks to see what is was. They had never heard such a sound before.

Luxord stared at the creature that had been chasing them, and was surprised by its appearance. It was nothing he had seen before. It walked on all fours, bared its sharp teeth at him with a deep growl, its tail erect and frisking about. It was much smaller than what he had suspected to be, but Luxord had to figure there were more of them.

And then made a lunge for Axel.

Without though Luxord pulled his knife out and blocked the attack, earning a painful bit wound to the arm. He fell to the floor, bringing the creature down with him. He winced in pain, but reacted quickly enough to go and slit the animal's throat. He pushed the creature off of him and breathed hard.

He turned and looked up to Axel, who just stood there in shock. He looked absolutely terrified. He looked down and stared at the wound he had received. Several puncture marks oozed red, warm blood. There wasn't much pain, but Luxord figured once the shock wore off he would be loathing the sensation to come. His skin was torn, and he was bleeding. Not a wonderful thing when you're being hunted.

He hurried himself back up and looked over in the direction the animal had come from. Luxord could see two more of them, watching from a distance, growling and leering at him and Axel.

But they weren't attacking. Strange…

"I have an idea," Axel said suddenly.

Luxord stared at his wound, "I'm listening."

"We split up," he said simply.

"What?" Luxord almost had it there.

"We can take these things down in smaller numbers," Axel said. "A stab ought to do it….their already afraid of us as it is. We just take em down, one by one."

"What about the other animal that's hunting us," Luxord asked. He was sure he had heard the sound of something else…something that didn't come from what he had just killed.

"You have any better ideas," Axel asked.

Luxord shook his head.

"Ok then," Axel said. "Make sure to call for me when you're done."

Luxord nodded his head as he readied himself. He could see the apprehension in the animals' eyes grow as he stiffened himself up. And without a word, the two split up, both running in opposite directions of one another.

Luxord didn't like this idea. He didn't want o have to wonder how he was going to find, if he was going to find Axel later on. He knew Axel was a decent hunter, probably better than him, but he wasn't sure if this could count for a good enough situation to test Axel's skills. They were out of their element, away from home and n an unfamiliar environment. He didn't know these woods well enough, and he was sure that even if he did kill off all these creatures he'd end up lost. And he couldn't help but worry for Axel. God help him if something happened to Axel…

Luxord stopped in his tracks and watched as the same looking creature made a lunge at him. He couldn't help but feel a bit relieved as it preformed that exact same moves as the one before. He let it get close enough and gave it a quick stab before running off. It was a bit cowardice, not to mention the animal would suffer a bit, but it was the most effective way at ensuring his survival. He continued this very same strategy twice more, but with another one of those creatures. This one was a much tougher kill; the damn thing barking madly at him and snapping more than the other two he had killed. He spent more time running than he was killing, and it was wearing him out.

Two more of them and he was at wits end. His lungs were burning from all the running, and his arm was beginning to ache miserably.

He wanted nothing more than to just collapse on the floor. He was tired.

But he kept on, knowing there was at least one more behind him. He could only assume. He heard something chasing after him, and he was sure it wasn't Axel. But whatever it was, it was alone. He made a small glace behind him and stared at the remaining animal.

Luxord made a sharp turn and hurried off, and was thankful to hear the sound of footsteps dwindle a bit. He had tricked it. He kept on running though, making sure to keep a big enough distance between him and his follower.

But as he quickened his pace, Luxord saw something in the corner of his eye.

A river.

He stared at the shallow river, seeing that he could easily walk through it without having to worry about being carried away. He could see the pebbles and rocks that lined the river and realized that the water probably would barely make it to his heels.

Best of all, scent washed away in water.

He heard the barking grow louder and made the decision to travel with the current, figuring it would be easier to trick the animal that way then just traveling across from it. He could still run in it, though it would mean a bit more effort, but it would mean a much quicker escape in the end once his scent was lost. Luxord took a step in the water, nearly jumping back at how icy cold it was. He continued on and ran down the stream, hoping the time he had spent standing would not lead to his demise.

God where was Axel? Was he safe?

The barking faded again.

How on earth are you going to find him? What if he's hurt himself?

No more barking. Luxord kept running.

What if he got captured? What will you do then?

Feet going numb.

This wasn't a good idea. You should have talked him out of it-

A round rock stood up from the rest, and because Luxord wasn't watching where he was going; he slipped on it. A small, wet sounding, thud was made. No sound coma after that.

Luxord breathed hard, lifting his head up and staring lazily into the dark water. He could see that something was dripping from his head, hitting the water with a light "pit". He swallowed lightly and let his hand touch his forehead. It was wet, no surprise there. He could feel a warm, thick liquid run in between his fingers. He closed his eyes and listened carefully. He couldn't here anything after him. He let his hand fall back into the floor as he blinked a few times, his mind still in a messy daze.

His head was spinning.

Too fast.

Where was Axel?

Luxord looked up, hoping to figure out where he was by staring up at the moon. He could see white, and something that resembled a moon, but it was all too blurry for him to properly make out. He blinked, wiping away the water and stared again. This time the white seemed to be all over the place. Luxord got up from the river and tried to stand up, not thinking or wondering why everything looked like a mess through his eyes. It didn't seem to make any real sense at the moment. But as he got up, he found his head reeling and his balance off, and soon found himself falling right back into the river. His hands broke the fall, and he stared right back into the dark river.

He shivered.

Something was wrong.

* * *

"Awake for five minutes and I discover Hunters were roaming about," Marluxia said distastefully as he sat himself on the table in his office.

"Sorry, but you have to understand how the people feel about their presence," his secretary said, frowning at her masters frustration. "And the fact that they came at night didn't help much either…"

"Well, I don't see why they're complaining," Marluxia said in a half whine. "I can't get rid of them…they know this. And it's not like they only case problems…though, in this case it does appear they've caused more harm than good."

Marluxia had arrived home late in the day yesterday. Without eating or unpacking, he went straight to bed, figuring his luck would be so kind enough to make sure something would happen right when he got back.

He was right. As soon as he woke up his secretary greeting him with a list of complaints from all nearby villages. Apparently Hunters had arrived and had run amok all night long. Whether they were Were-chimera or not made no difference; they had made a serious "mess" of things throughout the night.

"Where were they last spotted," Marluxia asked, pointing over to the map on the wall. He figured they'd left long ago. Hunters only existed for money, and according to the complaints, they had been around the poorer parts of the country, and had not yet traveled deeper into the wealthier parts.

"The woods," she answered. "They were headed toward the…," she flipped through a few sheets and stared, "northern part."

Marluxia glanced at the map. They were either going out of the county and into Larxene's, or they were headed towards him. It didn't matter, he couldn't arrest them. Not unless they were seen doing anything illegal. And even if they were, he was sure the organization that was supporting their actions would bail them out in no time.

"Well then," he muttered, "they're either out of my hair or deep in it. I suppose I could check the closest village and have a look around, though I won't be able to do a bloody thing about it."

"Seeing you attempt to do something will help the villagers feel less threatened," she said with a smile.

Marluxia frowned. He really didn't want to have to look around this early in the morning. He was tired, hungry, and had better things to do.

He sighed, "very well. Aerith, have a carriage prepared and ready in five minutes."

His secretary nodded her head and hurried off. Marluxia groaned as he pulled himself off from the table and began the long walk into his room so he could dress himself in something a bit more suitable for when he left the castle.

Marluxia then walked into the carriage, not saying a word as Aerith followed him in to continue with all the useless complaints that were given throughout the night.

God help them, should he find a Hunter wandering about.

He stared blankly out the window, not really paying attention to what was being told to him. He watched the blue sky and the huge clouds drift about. He wondered whether it would be raining soon. It didn't appear so cloudy; maybe he could walk around the beach later on.

Marluxia smiled. What a silly thing for him to think about. He would never have the time to do such a wasteful thing, not with all the work that had to be done.

Marluxia could see trees appear as they made the turn, and saw dull brown and grey fill the window. Dried leaves and grass littered the floor, and the river appeared to be starting up again. In a few weeks there would be more green to the woods, and all the snow from up north would fill the river. Despite not liking loud noises and messes, Marluxia was actually looking forward to when children would be running around this part of the woods. For those that were still too young to play by the ocean, this place was always nice and peaceful. The river never got so deep that a child was swept away.

Marluxia stared at a tree and found himself frowning as his eyes lowered to the white looking mound below it. Snow? In this part of the country? By the sea?

Marluxia squinted his eyes and focused on white mound that was…breathing. It was breathing. Oh, dear lord, it was breathing.

"Stop the carriage," Marluxia said suddenly.

"What?"

"Stop dammit!" Marluxia yelled as he opened the door to the carriage, not caring that it was still moving.

He heard Aerith calling for him. He ignored her as he went to get a better look at what was going on.

Marluxia hurried off into the woods, his mind bouncing from thought to thought as he desperate tried to think of what he was doing and what was going on. God. Oh God. Had a Hunter did this? They did go after marks…but then, didn't they bring the bodies with them? Why was this one still here, and alive as well? No, he should be thankful this one was alive. What would people say should he find a dead body this close to his mansion? It was still breathing right? Yes, yes it was…oh why? Why was this happening to him? Well, at least he cold have the Hunters charged with…

Marluxia stared down at the body below him. His eyes widened a bit as he stared at the unfamiliar creature below him, breathing slowly.

He heard running behind him, Aerith calling for him.

"What is it," she said, her breathing hard. She rested a hand on his shoulder and gasped loudly, holding in a scream.

"He's still alive," Marluxia snapped. "Calm down or get back into the carriage!"

The secretary nodded her head and backed away a bit.

Marluxia lowered himself and stare carefully at the sleeping figure.

A Neko.

It was a male…obviously, there was no way of deny that. There were marks all over his body, and he was sporting quite the nasty cut on his head.

Marluxia looked all around, without touching of course, but couldn't find a mark that stated slavery. He took a good look at the neck and saw that any collar marks were nowhere to be found as well. The only other option was that it was a pleasure slave, and Marluxia wasn't willing to check for that marker, or it was a free Neko.

He saw the bag lying right next to him and opened it up. He let all the items fall from the bag and was surprised to see no papers showing it was a free Neko.

"No license," he said finally.

"What do we do," Aerith asked.

Marluxia frowned.

The thing was a mess. He doubted it would last long on its own. Perhaps the Hunters did this? But for what purpose? So was it just wandering the woods? Why? Maybe it was a slave that tried to escape? But no collar? What should he do? Even if it was a slave, it was his duty to return it back to his master in one piece, right?

Marluxia stood up and shook his head.

God he hated this.

"We take it home," he said finally, with one long breath. "Take it home and clean it up, when he wakes we'll see where he came from…and what's going on."

* * *

It's over 9000...words. Seriously, this fanfiction puts my original work up on the chopping block. Anyways, and questions that you may have can be answered via a pm or review, but preferably a pm. Reviews are very appreciated and I'll try to respond to you all as soon as possible.


	3. Larkspur

Rawr! Look I updated this thing!

Oh, and is it just me, or is this site making it purposely hard to spell check? Blah...

Other than that, nothing special to say...except tell your friends about this story! Seriously...there are no other stories about these two. Spread the word. I require hits! So, tell your friends, family members, neighbors...so on and so forth, and I will repay you in smiles.

Love Brink...

* * *

-Chapter 3-

"He doesn't really look like the regular Neko," Marluxia muttered as he flipped through the pages of a book he was reading. He stopped at a picture that showed another picture of the feline fiend and pointed out at certain characteristics. "His ears are a bit wider and lager than the ones in this picture…and his tail's longer. And his coat is a bit shorter in length," Marluxia said. He glanced over at the bed that was covered up in deep lavender curtains. "I think he may either be the rare southern breed…or one from another country."

"But he lacks any license," Aerith pointed out. "If he had come from the islands of the west he would have papers saying so, wouldn't he?"

"Not unless they were stolen," Marluxia said. He closed the book in his hands and looked over once more, checking to see if any movement was going on in the bed. "You did say Hunters were roaming about last night. Perhaps they were attempting to sell him into slavery, and ripped them up?"

"Isn't that illegal," she asked.

"Yes," Marluxia answered. "But I wouldn't put it past them." Marluxia walked over and moved the curtains that covered up the bed, glancing inside. "Then again, I didn't see any signs of a struggle in the area. Perhaps he was just wandering about, and had a tumble of some sort? I know he isn't a slave…at least, not for now he isn't."

"Are you considering the possibility of selling him?"

Marluxia didn't even bother raising his head up for the question.

"If he's from this country, then yes," Marluxia answered. "I've already spent money for a doctor to fix him up, the least he could do is help repay for the debt he built up. And considering that he may be from the south, I can guarantee people will pay a pretty penny for him." Marluxia smiled, "everybody will be willing to pay more for something exotic and new."

"And if he is from another country," Aerith asked.

"We'll have him questioned to prove his authority," Marluxia asked. He walked away from the bedside and to the door. He turned and stared hard at Aerith. He threw the book over to her, the book just barely landing in her hands, and leaned against the wall. "Keep a close eye on him…I don't want him escaping without figuring out who he is and where he came from."

Marluxia hurried out before Aerith could say a word of protest. It had been a long day for him. Already half the day had passed and he had spent it trying to figure out whether or not some Neko had anything to due with last nights activities. He had spent a small fortune having the Neko checked and cared for. Apparently, from what the physician said, the Neko had acquired a concussion, and may or may not wake from it.

Marluxia figured if it didn't wake by the end of the day, it was a goner.

He crossed his arms as he tried to desperately put the pieces together. He had found the Neko breathing, so why would the Hunters, assuming they had come across this Neko, leave him? A Neko roaming about was a target for profit, and Hunters think of nothing but the stuff? Had they assumed him dead after putting so much harm on it? Or did this Neko just come across really bad luck?

Marluxia shook his head as he realized that he was far too focused on this…trivial matter. It should not matter to him what happen to some wild fiend. It's not like he depended on it for anything. Perhaps if he owned the creature he would have reason to worry over it more, but he didn't. As far as he knew it was wild…no, as far as he knew it could be dead within the hour or in a coma from which it would not wake. Why should he give it more attention that what he deserved? Marluxia began to walk through the decorated hallway. It was late and he had yet to eat or get anything important done. He made one last glance to the occupied guest room before making his way to the kitchen. He would come back later to see if any progress had been made since.

It was rather annoying. Marluxia didn't like being left alone in the dark.

He had nothing to go by, aside from a few clues left behind from the scene where he found the Neko. Aside from the bag that the Neko had carried with him, there were no documents or information to determine where he had come from. The injuries were vague enough to be caused by just about anything. Marluxia was sure the Neko may have come from the south, considering his attire and coat were very different from the ones up in the north. Either that or the Islands…but he doubted it. Not many Nekos would travel to a country where their freedom would be at constant risk.

The only thing he could go by was the stitching in the inside of the bag, assuming that the name stitched into the bag was really his. The bag could have been stolen for all Marluxia knew.

"…Luxord," he muttered.

It definitely was an unusual name.

Well, he'd find out soon enough what was going on.

* * *

There was something wrong. He couldn't seem to get on his feet. Luxord shook his head a bit, stopping once another stabbing sensation ran though his head. He placed his hand back on his forehead and applied pressure as best as he could to stop the bleeding.

Luxord blinked a few times, checking to see how his vision was faring at the moment. He saw things blur with every blink, the scenery just barely recognizable for him. With every blink things seemed to be taking longer and longer for him to fixate on.

…a concussion? Is that what he had?

Luxord wasn't too sure, but what he was sure about was that he needed to get a move on. He wasn't sure whether he was still being followed or not, so it was important that he move. He had to get out of the river though. He could barely stand as it was, the ice cold water would do him no good.

Luxord looked over to the edge of the river. He could barely make it out. Very slowly he straightened himself out, trying desperately to keep his balance so that he would not fall down again. His head ached more than his arm now. He tried to ignore it as best as he could as he stumbled over to dry land. He couldn't hear anymore barking…whatever was after him probably wasn't chasing him anymore. That's…good.

As soon as Luxord's feet felt soft earth he settled himself down. Actually, it was more like stumble down, but managing to land on all fours.

He was tired. Exhausted. And the concussion was making it worse too. He was dizzy beyond belief, and the pain in his forehead wasn't going away anytime soon.

Luxord sighed as he leaned against a tree. He applied more pressure to his head, wincing at the immense pain it caused. He took deep breaths as he tried to calm himself down a bit. He knew he wouldn't be able to find Axel, not in this condition. He had to wait for the dizziness to pass. He needed to keep alert as possible and wait for his mind to heal itself as best as it could.

Once again. Luxord looked up to the huge moon in the sky. Worry fell over him again as he couldn't help but notice how quiet it was now. Aside from running water, there was not a sound emitting from these woods. And it scared him.

Where could Axel be?

Luxord closed his eyes for a brief second, not on purpose though, slouching a bit as he did. He quickly opened them in retaliation.

Don't fall asleep.

He waited a few minutes and relaxed himself again.

A few minutes went by and he realized he needed to move again. It would be the only thing that would keep him awake.

Luxord got up from the ground, using the tree as support, and slowly walked down the river bank. He was hoping whatever had chased him was long gone now. He took a few steps at a time, wobbling a bit as he desperately tried to keep himself balanced while in his temporary state of vertigo. He wouldn't be able to cross the river in this condition…

A few more minutes went by and Luxord soon realized he wasn't even walking in a straight line, only realizing this after noticing the sound of water was getting further away.

A few more passed by, and Luxord realized he needed a break. He rested himself by a few trees, curling himself up in hopes he wouldn't be noticed by anything that might consider him prey. The scared and confused feelings seemed to be fading, along with the pains on his arm and forehead.

Time edged on and Luxord still felt tense. He closed his eyes, reminding himself that he was to keep awake no matter what. He just wanted to…

…

….

…..

It was so quiet in here.

Why?

"…thinking…leaving…."

What?

"….willing to come…me?"

I don't understand….what's going on?

…

…

…

It was all so strange. A strange sinking sensation. He felt as though he were slowly falling within a dark pit, falling deeper and deeper. There seemed to be no real threat, no real reason for him to struggle, despite falling deeper and deeper into the darkness. He didn't know why. No urge or willpower to do so.

He was just sinking.

It was getting harder to remember why.

"We have…out of here…"

Who was saying this? Why were these voiceless words running around in his head? Over and over again? So strange. What meaning could they possibly hold for him?

Images seemed to flow about in his mind. Still pictures of bright colors rolled in and out, blurring together to create a colorful mess of something he could not understand. And then as he tried to think of what it could mean; it faded away, one by one. And it happened again, over and over. While he was falling. While listening to those words whisper in his head.

What was going on?

What were these images of? Who was saying these things?

But the more he looked onto it the less he found. His mind was whiting out, going back and forth and side to side in the strange realm of realism and fantasy.

And then the images stopped appearing.

The unfamiliar voice stopped chanting strange words to him.

And then he was all but blank.

* * *

Marluxia walked out of his study, giving a small sigh of relief after a long days worth of work. Catching up was something he hadn't really been looking forward to, but Marluxia was able to catch up rather quickly. He was still behind a few days, but figured by tomorrow he would have all of the stats filed through. Marluxia wasn't all too worried though. His part of the country was doing well off, and it would only be getting better. Winter had past and spring was sure to make traveling and trade more prosperous. People loved the beach, and people loved the trading posts. He had both.

Scouts reported no Hunters. No one. Not even men dressed in black. It left a small mark on Marluxia's side, but nothing too big or problematic. He knew it would only be a matter of time before the citizens forgot about the Hunters. Sure, they were bound to make their way through again at some point, but by then he was sure it would be for beneficial sake. Good assassins are always needed. And what was he to do if he did find them anyway? The organization they worked for would have them out and about by the end of the day, doing what they do best…making money.

Eventually Marluxia made it to the dining hall. He wasn't sure he himself had gotten there, or how he managed to get through his meal without any thought to anything. Work was doing nothing but torturing his poor mind. It seemed to be all he could think about. Because, sure as he knew it, his plate was clean and he was full and tired. He didn't even know what he had consumed…

After his "meal", he decided he would go straight to bed. No bath tonight. He would sleep early and wake early, figuring it would be the best way to ensure him getting all the work done by tomorrow. It would be another long day tomorrow…

…

Marluxia stopped for a moment, giving a moment to look over to the huge window pane and stared at the orangey and purple sunset. From this side of the castle he could get a glimpse of the beach he would often visit as a child.

It had been a long time since he had gone there…

"Aerith…," he muttered, not giving much thought about her current presence.

He waited a few seconds and then looked over his shoulder, moderately surprised to not see her right behind him. Marluxia stared into the empty space, staring at his shadow and the orange light beaming down on the floor.

Where was that woman…?

Ah…right; she was with the Neko.

Marluxia gave a small frown as he then realized that absolutely no reports came from Aerith. Had the creature woken from his sleep? Had he passed on? Or was he doomed to never wake, and to peacefully leave the world through his dreams?

He thought about Aerith again and couldn't help but feel a bit of guilt. He knew she was a loyal servant, and she had most likely stayed in the room the whole time. Marluxia wasn't too sure if she had been fed a proper meal all day. After all no servants were permitted in the room aside from Aerith.

Marluxia made an about-face and walked over to the stairs. He hurried his pace as to not make Aerith wait any longer.

He made his way to the door and gave a quick glimpse inside. He could see Aerith sitting on the chair, leaning back a bit as she was asleep. Marluxia quietly made his way into the room and walked over to where his secretary sat. He looked over to the bed. It was covered, but he could see the shadowed body on the other side of the blinds. The Neko was still asleep.

"Aerith," Marluxia whispered carefully, giving a small shake on the woman's shoulders.

Aerith stirred a bit and opened her eyes.

"Go home," Marluxia said, his hand on her shoulder. "It's getting late…"

Aerith blushed as she looked about the room. Her eyes then darted over to the bed.

"I…I'm sorry, I must've-"

"It's getting late," Marluxia said again. He helped bring the woman up to her feet and smiled at her. Aerith nodded her head. "Ask for one of the servants to ready a carriage, otherwise you can spend the night."

"I couldn't," Aerith said. "And what about the Neko?"

Marluxia nodded his head.

"Hurry before it gets dark," he said, motioning her to the door. "I'll watch over him…"

"What if it wakes up?"

"I doubt he'll be much of a threat in his current condition," Marluxia said with a smirk, "but if you prefer I'll get a musket."

Aerith sighed.

"Just be careful," she asked as she made her way to the door. She kept a concerned look on her face as she stood at the doorway, carefully eyeing Marluxia. "All night long," she finally asked.

"I can take care of myself," Marluxia said with a roll of his eye. "I'm not a child. Now go before I have someone force you out…"

Marluxia smirked a bit as he heard Aerith give another sigh and make her way into the hallway. As soon as the footsteps began to soften he turned his attention to the bed.

It appeared as though the Neko had been moving around a bit, seeing the sheets had been disheveled and the position he was in had changed. The Neko was in a more fetal-like position, making it appear to be more feline like in the new sleeping position. Marluxia pulled a chair from the desk that was right beside the bed and sat himself down. His blue eyes lingered over the strange body as he tried to remember what he had learned from his past travels. He knew there were certain traits the Neko from the Western Islands had, as well as those from the north. Evolution had separated the species into three different categories, each Neko built for their terrain.

Marluxia leaned in a bit, trying to get a better look at the Neko's hands. He was pretty sure claw length and thickness had something to do with determining the species…

North had thicker, shorter claws. Yes…that was it. They lived in the mountains and needed thicker, stronger claws…and south was just the opposite. Hmm, but what about the island dwellers?

Before Marluxia knew his hand was carefully lying on the sheets, ever so slowly making its way to the Neko's. He could see the long fingers curled under the hand, but not the claws. Very carefully, Marluxia gave the Neko's hand a small poke, backing away a bit as he did.

He wasn't…afraid of the Neko. He just…was unsure.

When it gave no response Marluxia let his hand rest on the Neko's. He waited a few seconds before grabbing the hand and opening the palm of it. He stared in slight awe as he saw something he had never really seen in any picture of a Neko before. The first part of the Neko's metacarpals, and a half of the second were pale and light in color, much like the rest of the Neko…but the rest of the metacarpals, that being the latter half and the tips, were speckled. Marluxia's eyes looked up to see the Neko's white ears, the tips of each one speckled as well. He went back down to the fingers and stared at them for a bit more before passing it off and just part of the Neko's coloring. Of course, not he couldn't help but want to check the rest of the body…it was still a bit odd.

But all the more valuable, right?

Marluxia let his finger check the length of the…surprisingly sharp claws. Although they were a bit dull, the natural made weapons looked quite threatening. Marluxia was sure they were made more for goring than for slicing, and put in to account that he had nothing to really worry about while the Neko rested. They looked long…as for thickness, Marluxia lacked any clippers to tell how string the claws were. The problem when you lack material for owning Nekos…

He sighed and dropped the hand, pulling himself away from the bed.

He had no idea where this bloody thing came from!

…

But still, did it really matter now?

Marluxia had made something of a discovery. Speckled Nekos were something he didn't believe to exist. A pattern like that had to be rare. If this Neko was to be sold, it could come for a rather lovely price just on the fact that it had a different sort of coloring to it-one that affected the very skin. And if it had come from the south, then more money would be put out for it as well.

Marluxia jumped out of his seat as he heard a soft sound of movement come from his bed. His body stiffened up as he hurried himself away from the bedside, his eyes locked on the sleeping Neko. He held his breath, his heart racing in excitement, waiting and expecting for something to happen.

But nothing really did; all the Neko did was move a bit in his sleep.

"…meh," Marluxia grumbled. He looked over to see the sleeping Neko in a less curled position, his face exposed and his body stretched out a bit.

It was at this moment did Marluxia realize how pale the Neko really was. Or getting.

Marluxia frowned as he placed his hand on the Neko's forehead. There was a fever.

So not only did he have to deal with a bad concussion, but now he was dealing with a possibility of an infection? Marluxia groaned a bit as he removed his hand, causing an ear to flicker. He sat himself down and stared hard at the Neko.

"What am I going to do with you," he sarcastically mused. "You barely have a chance of making it through the day, and now you're sick?"

No reaction, but Marluxia wasn't really expecting one.

"You know," Marluxia continued, looking out the window as he talked to the sleeping figure, "I could earn a pretty penny or two off you…"

He looked down at the sleeping body and frowned a bit. He let his hand rest on the Neko's forehead, the let it slide over to its exposed ear. He let it rest on the tip, causing the ear to flicker a bit. He placed it right back on, getting the same reaction again.

"Do you feel that," he asked. "…or is it just a reflex?"

"…"

Marluxia leaned over the sleeping body and stared quietly. There was always a way to figure out if something was there or not. He stared at a bit of the exposed body, eyes carefully examining the white skin. Then his eyes went right back to the Neko's hand, then ears. The Neko had such light colored skin; it almost made the colored part of him appear darker. He leaned in a bit more to see the tip of the Neko's ear.

A very, very light creamy brown. Almost tan…

The fingers were a bit darker, but that was to be expected anyways. But all in all, it was a nice color; the brown. It almost reminded Marluxia of something an actual cat may posses.

"You really are a piece of work," Marluxia said. He thought about it for a moment and smirked. "I can only imagine what Xemnas would do right now, to have a rare little thing like you…he'd probably breed you just to have more of your strange pattern." he chuckled a bit. "Almost makes me want you all to myself…just to spite him."

Marluxia got up from his seat. He knew he couldn't stay here all night long. The windows were already locked, he would just have to lock the door and hope the Neko wouldn't wake till morning…if he woke at all.

Ah, what a shame if he didn't wake up at all…

…what was his name again?

"…Luxord," Marluxia said to himself. He looked over to the bed again and wondered if there was really a way to see whether or not the Neko would wake. He walked over to the bed again, moving the curtain aside and looking into the dark veil. The Neko was still asleep.

Marluxia leaned over and stared at the white speckled ear. He had no idea whether or not this was the Neko's name, whether he was pronouncing it correctly, or whether there would be a reaction to begin with…but it was better than having them rid of the creature…

"Luxord," he called.

…

…

…

"Luxord," he said again, no longer expecting any sort of reaction to occur. Maybe it was dying…

But no sooner did he think this did an ear twitch.

His eyes widened a bit and Marluxia took his seat again and stared curiously at the Neko. Had it been a fluke? Or did the Neko hear him?

"…Luxord?" Marluxia asked. He spoke more clearly and a bit slower, figuring it would be easier on the ears.

The body curled up.

Marluxia rested himself on the bedside, trying to figure whether or not this Neko…Luxord, was reacting to him or not. It appeared that the N-Luxord was listening to an extent.

Well…today was proving to be quite the day.

"Your name," Marluxia asked.

Wonder what tomorrow would bring him?

* * *

Roxas walked down the long hallway, heading towards his sisters room. In his hand was a letter that had been sent via a hawk. Right from the start Roxas recognized the bright, vibrant seal to belong to Xaldin, but simply could not believe the letter was intended for his sister. It worried him a bit since Xaldin's family and his had no real relations, so the news could be anything.

And considering Larxene was at a marrying age…

Roxas dared not to think about such a thing. Even if the letter did hold such…such an offer, it would have been sent for him; the oldest male in his family, not for her. But then, Larxene had been making a lot of manly decisions the past few years…

He knocked on one of the doors, fixing himself up to a more proper position. He hoped his sister would be asleep at this hour, giving him an excuse to open the parchment to see what it held. But he would never be so lucky. A servant, human, opened the door. Roxas stared at her for a brief moment before deciding to go ahead and speak with her.

"Is my sister decent," he asked.

"She's changing," was the reply. "Can I ask what it may concern?"

"I've a message for her," Roxas said, his voice a bit louder in hopes that Larxene would hear. If he couldn't read it himself he would at least prefer to hear what the message said, rather than hand it away and never know. "A letter from Xaldin."

"If you want, I can take it to-"

"What does he want," a yelled Larxene. Roxas almost tilted himself a bit to see where his sister was standing, but refrained. It had been way too many years for him to get away with such a thing.

"Your brother has a message from Lord Xaldin," the servant girl replied.

Roxas frowned.

"Well," Larxene said, "what does it say?"

"It's directed to you," Roxas replied in a much louder voice. "Only you can open it."

A few mutters cam from within the room, and soon the servant girl was pushed aside, leaving Roxas to stare at his older sister. Lucky for him she was wearing her night gown…

"Let me see it," she asked in a rather demanding tone. Her hand extended out to Roxas in a quick and rash manner.

Roxas looked up to her and made a small smile. A very small smile.

Larxene rolled her eyes. "I suppose you would like to know what the message says."

Roxas nodded his head, "forgive me…but I am concerned for your wellbeing. Last I checked you were not close with the man, nor with any member of his family."

Larxene smirked, "last I checked, it's been a few years since you've had a real conversation with me."

"I just want to know whether the message pertains to anything that I might need to know," Roxas replied. He tried to relax himself as best as he could, not wanting to sound like a child in front of her. He was, after all, the man of the household.

"Well, if does I'll tell you in the morning," Larxene said. Her hand became a blur and without much notice the letter in Roxas' hand was no longer in his possession. Roxas stared in shock, finding her snatching the letter to be something along the lines of very offensive. But he said nothing and only stared as she removed the seal and began to read it silently.

He didn't expect her to say a thing, so when she walked back into her room, the door closing on his face, he didn't so much as flinch. His arms crossed into a tight bundle as he stomped off back to his room. He wondered whether or not he should have let her seen the letter. The way she acted was way out of hand! No woman would ever be allowed to-

"Ugh," he hissed.

He was a prisoner in these halls. He wasn't referred to as a lord in his own home, and his sister was the ruler of everything and everyone. He was sure if his father were alive he wouldn't be dealing with this sort of stupidity. No doubt Larxene would act more ladylike than what she was right now…

"Perhaps I should leave," he muttered to himself. "My existence is nothing but a threat to her…but where will I go?"

He knew he was always welcomed at Vexen's. The man had taken a liking to him the past few years, taking notice in Roxas' knack for asking questions and attempting to find answers. But he doubted he would be able to stay long…Vexen would only be a temporary stay. And last he checked, Xion was getting older…Vexen would probably be busy trying to find her a decent suitor…and he would only get in the way of things.

Then again…there was always outside the country.

He had always thought the country of Haii to be a nice place to live. The beaches were clean and white, and everything there seemed so exotic. A couple of day's worth of traveling…along with a few boat rides, but it would make for a decent long term vacation. At least Larxene wouldn't protest to it. He could visit Vexen and rest for a few days, take a trip to the Western Islands, and then another to Haii.

He would have to plan though. Send a letter to Vexen and have his passport renewed as well. It would take at least a week before he could get ready.

Roxas stopped where he was and looked over behind him. He could see only a bit of light emit from the crack from under the door.

"One week," he said. "And then I'll be out of your hair for good."

* * *

…

…

…

The sound of birds chirping loudly to one another caused his eyes to squint a bit. His hand moved from where it was to the top of his head, lying down on his soft layered hair.

Don't wake up yet, Marluxia thought.

He sighed and relaxed himself, about to turn over when he suddenly realized he wasn't in his own bed. He wasn't even in a bed. Marluxia's eyes slowly opened as he balanced himself back into the sitting position that he had apparently been in for the past several hours. Marluxia blinked several times before realizing that he had fallen asleep in this odd position, resting his head on his arms, and resting his arms on the soft emerald green bed.

Marluxia could only imagine what his back would feel like once he got up…

But Marluxia wasn't given much time to think about this as the chirping grew a bit more louder, causing a white tail, that had literally appeared out of nowhere, to starting swinging from wide to side.

Marluxia's right side, to be exact.

His eyes lingered on the almost white tail, the end of the tail being speckled with a light brown, move from side to side. And when the chirping grew louder, it moved a bit more, showing obvious excitement for some strange reason.

What a strange tail…

Marluxia closed his eyes and his hand burrowed itself underneath his head.

…

Wait…

Marluxia bolted up from the bed, his whole body ungracefully staggering a bit as he get himself standing up and erect as best as he could.

But as he looked over to the side where he had seen the appendage he realized there was no sign of life around him. He looked to the side of the bed. Nothing.

"…"

Marluxia heard something come from the other side of the bed and immediately his whole body stiffened up in anticipation. When a Neko was asleep he had no problem with it. When a Neko was awake…a completely different emotion erupted in him. The last thing he wanted was to deal with something that cold rip him to shreds if it wanted to. What made it worse was that he couldn't see passed the bed's drapes.

Marluxia took a step over to the corner of the bed, and as his boot settled to the floor he was greeted with a hiss. A loud, deep, really angry hiss.

Marluxia really wished he had that musket now.

He swallowed hard as he leaned a bit forward. Trying to get a better idea of what was on the other side of the bed. He knew the Neko was there…the hiss had established its current position….he just wanted to know what it was doing right now.

Marluxia took another step. And the came another hiss.

Strange how a helpless creature could become so damn threatening. Marluxia didn't even know Nekos could freaking hiss until now…and why did it have to sound so damn scary?

He took in a long breath and sighed.

Ok…there is always a way out of these situations. Think about it. Obviously he's hissing for a reason. What's the main reason any animal does what it does when approached by a human? It's scared. That's probably it. You just startled him. After all, he certainly had no qualms about you while you slept, right? And then you jumped right out of nowhere! He just is a bit startled.

"…hello," Marluxia said.

There was no reply. But at least there wasn't a hiss.

"…I'm sorry if I scared you," Marluxia said. "You've got no reason to be afraid though…I have no weapons on me, and even if I did I wouldn't lay harm on you."

Still no response.

Marluxia took another step.

And just like that there was yet another hiss. Marluxia grit his teeth together.

"Ok…I get it," Marluxia said. "You don't want me near you. You don't trust me. I understand." He took another step, despite the hissing. "But, you know, I really need to check that temperature of yours…and your wounds…"

This time he got a growl as a response.

Marluxia was beginning to wonder whether he was making progress or not.

"Christ Luxord," he groaned.

"…"

Marluxia lifted his head a bit as he was sure he heard something. Not any random sort of sound either. But a voice.

He took another step, bringing him to the other side of the bed. He didn't get a hiss or a growl, but instead two icy blue eyes glaring at him.

On the floor, and in obvious pain, was the Neko. He could see him staring right back at him, his chest heaving up and down in a rapid motion. But despite his lock on Marluxia, he could tell the Neko was in no real shape to be making threats. His hand was squeezing the bandages that were wrapped around his bad arm, and his whole body was shivering.

"…are you ok," Marluxia asked.

The eyes sharpened into a nasty glare, and the Neko tightened itself up.

"…"

Marluxia remembered the sound that he had heard a moment ago and tried again, only using the recourse that he hadn't been taking seriously.

"…Luxord," he asked.

He saw the eyes soften a bit. But only for a moment. The Neko seemed more shocked to here the name than anything.

"Your name," Marluxia asked.

The Neko gave him a confused look, frowning a bit. It didn't seem like an angry frown though.

"Do you understand me," Marluxia asked. Perhaps the Neko didn't speak his language. "Do you understand me, Luxord?"

The eyes softened a gain, and this time the Neko moved around a bit, looking off in different directions. Well, obviously the name did mean something to the Neko…Luxord.

"I'm Marluxia," Marluxia said, ever so slowly making his way closer to the frightened Neko. "I found you laying by a river…you were unconscious." He kept his eyes glued to Luxord's making sure the Neko wasn't about to do anything threatening. "Can you tell me how you got there?"

Marluxia leaned down, making sure that he looked less threatening to Luxord. Xemnas had said they were creatures of instinct…if so then all he had to do was make himself seem just a bit more dominant…but not threatening. He could see Luxord shivering, his eyes still locked with his. His position had changed quite a bit, looking less like he was about to attack and more like he was just confused.

"Luxord," Marluxia said.

Luxord stared at Marluxia, not saying a word.

Marluxia let his hand out. The Neko just stared at it, not too sure whether or not to trust and take the offering.

"…I'm not going to hurt you," Marluxia said again. "I know you may think otherwise, but I'm not one of those humans who goes about abusing fiends…"

"…humans?"

Marluxia's eyes widened a bit. He nodded his head to Luxord. He had gotten the Neko to speak! If he was lucky he'd get the Neko to take his hand in maybe a couple of hours…

"Yes," Marluxia said. He pointed to himself. "I'm a human." He paused for a moment as he added all the clues together. "So…if you don't know what humans are…then you must be from the south…"

The blank expression on the Neko's face worried Marluxia. Did the Neko know what south meant? Did he even know what he was talking about?

"Where you're from," Marluxia added on. "You know…the jungle?" He frowned. "Big trees and colorful plant life?"

Luxord slowly nodded his head.

Marluxia found himself looking around the room. There had to be a way to communicate with this creature.

He finally gave up and sighed, "You don't understand a word I'm saying, do you?"

"…I…don't," he heard the Neko reply slowly.

Marluxia made a confused face at the Neko.

"No…you, you do understand, or don't you," he asked.

Luxord shook his head. "I…don't."

"But you do," Marluxia said, lifting himself up. "You're responding to what I'm saying." He crossed his arms and stared carefully at the confused Neko.

Luxord shook his head again. "I don't know what you're saying," he said softly. He stared at the floor, his ears lowering. "I don't know what a jungle or tree is…"

Marluxia's eyes widened.

"I don't know what's going on…"

"…"

"…where I am," Luxord continued. "Or how I even got here…"

Marluxia grimaced as the possible answer for what was going on lit up in his mind. He knew this Neko couldn't possibly have been raised in captivity from the way it spoke; otherwise Luxord would at least know what a human was. But Luxord appeared to know nothing, yet he understood the words being spoken to him…he just didn't grasp what certain words meant.

"Luxord," Marluxia said, grabbing the Neko's attention.

"…"

"Can you tell me why you react when I call you this," he asked Luxord.

Luxord shook his head.

"But it sure does feel familiar, doesn't it," Marluxia muttered.

Amnesia. The damn thing had amnesia. There went all hopes of finding out what was going on the night before, as well as figuring out where this Neko came from. For all he knew Luxord could have been a slave…but no memory meant no way to figure out what was true.

"Your name," Marluxia said.

Luxord looked at Marluxia, staring at the young man with the same confused expression.

"That's your name," Marluxia said. "Luxord…you really don't remember your own name?"

"…I…"

Marluxia sighed. He couldn't keep lingering with this. He needed to get Luxord off the floor and back in bed and figure out what he was going to do with him from there. He knew Lexaeus or Vexen might have more information on the species…and Vexen would have something on Luxord's current condition. First things first though…

"Come on," Marluxia said, offering his hand to the Neko. "We need to get you back in bed and have a doctor check you out…"

Luxord stared at the hand again, still unsure to take it.

Marluxia was willing to be patient this time. "You're hungry right?"

Luxord nodded his head.

"Exhausted? Your arm hurts?"

He nodded his head again.

"Get up from the floor and we'll have someone fix you up," Marluxia said.

"…"

"I understand you're feeling quite confused at the moment," Marluxia said. "But if you just trust me I'll do everything in my power to explain your current situation."

"…you're human," Luxord said suddenly, staring carefully at Marluxia's hand.

"Yes," Marluxia answered. "And you're a Neko."

"Neko?"

"Yes," Marluxia replied. "Your name's Luxord…and you're a Neko."

The confusion on the Neko's face didn't seem to cease, but Luxord nodded his head slowly. Although he didn't know what was being said, or what was going on, it seemed that Luxord was putting his trust into Marluxia's hands. Marluxia would have loved to say that he felt a bit proud of himself, but even he knew better. Luxord had nothing else to depend on at the moment. It wasn't like he could just waltz out the room…he had nowhere to go…nothing for him to rely on but a few reflexes and instincts.

"…and what about you," Luxord asked.

Marluxia couldn't believe what had just been asked. Did Luxord not see that he had a tail and claws, and that Marluxia lacked these? He had said he was a human a few minutes ago as well…or did Luxord not understand this as well?

"I'm human," Marluxia said.

Luxord nodded his head. He stared at Marluxia's hand, and after what seemed like and eternity of waiting, Marluxia saw the Neko extend his hand out as well, slowly brining it to Marluxia's.

"…who are you," Luxord asked.

Marluxia stared at the hand that was resting in his. Longer fingers, sharp claws, but otherwise it didn't look too far off from his hand. Marluxia looked up and stared into Luxord's deep blue eyes.

He still looked quite frightened. Still seemed to be a bit lost. But he accepted him, no longer growling or hissing threats at him. Marluxia had to admit that a part of him felt a bit upset the creature was in this situation. It didn't seem fair…Luxord did seem like a nice guy…as nice as a wild fiend could get. However, there was still the small debt Luxord had to pay for his wounds…and the bill would only grow with time. Perhaps him not having a memory could be beneficial, should he decide to sell him or make personal use of him.

Oh well…

"I'm Marluxia," he answered. "and if you want to figure out what's going on you'll listen to every word that I tell you."

* * *

Yeah...Axel ain't in this chapter. You'll find out what happened to his sorry ass later on. This will be a relatively long story, so I have all the time in the world to explain what horrible fate I've casted on to him. Now, as for the mpreg, you all have this and the next chapter to give me your opinion. So far it seems to be favorable, but you still have time to either change your mind give me your idea of what should happen. Pms and reviews are very welcoming!


	4. Anemone

Been really busy lately. And that won't be changing. I'm going to try to update this once more before going off on vacation in August, so that you'll have something to read while i'm gone for the week I'll be gone.

So...no mpreg. This is going to be a long story about a crack pairing that probably doesn't really exist outside DA. Think about that-because everything exists on DA. So, for now I'll be keeping away from such thing. It'll make for a stronger story and a more serious one at that. I mean, if there was an actual fandom, I would be a bit more confident...but this pairing has less of a page of work. So we'll just work with what's been given. For those mpreg fans out there; remember that there will be a sequel to "What Next?" in the end of August.

Lastly; this story takes place within the alotted time of a few days. Because we need to know what happened to poor Axel...meh...

* * *

-Chapter 4-

Axel figured he had a wonderful advantage over these strange foes. He had always been a great hunter. He knew how to plan along, how to strategize and be ahead of those he was after, or in this case; who were after him. Axel couldn't help but give an over confident smirk as he ran ahead of the four legged creatures. They were pack animals; confuse one and you confuse them all…

Axel maneuvered himself through the darkness, passing by several trees as he tried to find a tree that would be able to support him. These creatures didn't look like they could climb. He had to be fast and find a place to hide, and once they became confused he could take each one out one by one. And he had to hurry too…he had left Luxord alone and injured. Axel needed to finish the job and get to helping Luxord.

There came more barking, but it seemed to be a bit more distant. Axel looked behind him to see that he was far ahead most of the creatures. He turned his attention back to his surroundings, checking for any tree he could use. None of the trees he saw were anything like the ones he was used to. They were thing and smaller…he wasn't sure they could take his weight. And with the branches being bare it left him in a position where he could be easily spotted.

But the right opportune moment never came, and Axel just gave in and jumped into the closest tree he could latch on to. He held tight on to his knife as heard the sounds of growls and barks growl louder, as well as the sound of something a bit unfamiliar…

It sounded like actual speech.

Axel hunched himself within the collected branches, trying to hide himself as best as he could. He felt his heart race as he was more and more sure what he was hearing to be true.

Something was actually talking. Not making some sort of animalistic noise; but performing a form of speech. Axel looked around the forest scenery, hoping for a more covering tree. He didn't want to be spotted. He could handle whatever those barking things were…they weren't so smart and couldn't climb up the tree. But what spoke…that was an entirely different thing! After all; what other creature out there aside from his kind…?

There was a deep growl and Axel looked down to see one of the creatures snapping up at him. He acted quickly and jumped down to kill the animal. A quick stab to the chest and Axel was standing alone once again.

Only this time he was very unsure.

He could definitely hear something aside from the barking creatures. And he didn't know what they were…whether they were friends or foe. But if they were able to speak common then they would be smart enough to track him down.

Axel took a few steps back. He couldn't stay here; not with the body of the animal he had just killed.

More worries filled Axel as he began to wonder what creatures were out there. He began to run, not thinking of a general direction as he tried to outrun what was approaching him.

Could they smell him?

Did they have weapons?

Would they hurt him?

Did they have Luxord?

Axel shook his head as he began to twist around trees and spread his scent around the area. He had to confuse these creatures and whatever else there was out there. He ran about, making sure to spread his scent all over the woods before going off again in a straight line. Hopefully the creatures following him were more reliant on their other senses.

Axel ran on in the same direction, every muscle in his body aching in heat and soreness from the day's worth of walking. His lungs were beginning to tire, but he refused to stop for a moment. Whatever was following him was something he had to avoid at all costs.

Axel passed by a few gnarled trees, his hands pushing away at the twisted branches as he stepped forward to see…

The plains…

Axel froze in place as he tried to figure out how he had gotten to the edge of the woods. He looked around; trying to make sure he had entered this way with Luxord during sunset. He could spot a few familiar sights; several trees, mounds of hay, and a village. The same giant birds confirmed it…

He really had been running around in circles.

Axel felt a chilly breeze pass by him. He inhaled the air, tasting several unknown scents from the strangers that were following him.

And then he made the biggest mistake he could ever make. Rather than head back into the forest-where he could hide-he went forward. He didn't think. He just wanted to get away from his captors. He ran straight out into the open fields; exposed for all to see.

And Axel soon realized this as soon as heard a familiar sound from behind him.

Shouting.

Axel stopped and turned around, his green eyes wide in surprise as he saw two cloaked forms running toward him alongside the creatures.

They stood up on two legs.

…humans?

But Axel didn't have much time to think about it as he then realized that he was, in fact, prey. They were chasing after him, and they seemed to be working with those creatures that had attacked Luxord.

So they were controlling the smaller animals?

Axel looked around, hopelessly looking for something, someplace for him to hide. He was out in the open, and they were catching up to him.

He didn't stand a chance.

They were getting closer and closer, and Axel could hear the sounds of loud bark and yelling right behind him. But as he was about to give up hope something caught his eyes.

The village.

There were shapes of all sizes, small structures close together; making it a place for Axel to hide. Surely he would be able to find sanctuary in there…

He knew humans roamed the area, but he had been told by members from other tribes that they were kind. Axel wasn't sure if this village would be the same; but he had seen the humans from afar. They didn't look so bad…maybe they would be willing to help him?

Axel made a sharp turn to the left, gaining a small lead. It also helped when the creatures following him immediately slowed down as he headed toward the village, coming to a halt as they came close to the entrance. He didn't think much about it as he hurried into the foreign terrain. The strange structures throughout the village caught Axel's attention as soon as he passed by the first one. Huge square shaped structures filled the village. Each one had holes he could look in to…but something was blocking him from going inside. There were also long, wooden panels on the side of the structures-Axel didn't know what purpose they served. But he did see use in all the buildings. They were big and sturdy and most seemed to be close to another. Some where bigger than others, but most of them would be wonderful hiding places; from above and from the sides.

Axel found a house that was a bit smaller than the others and jumped, grabbing hold of the top and pulling himself up. A few animals in the area began to cry out, and as they did Axel could see a few of the buildings light up, causing him to jump a bit. There were humans in the buildings…probably small nests in each and every one of them. Axel felt his throat dry up as he worried about how some of them may react since he had tracked into foreign territory.

"…just relax…"

Axel's ears perked up.

"Just duties," a voice from below said. "I would suggest you remain in your house with your family for the time being."

"The last thing you want is for anyone to get hurt in the process," another voice said.

Axel shivered as he backed away from the edge of the roof.

He could hear anger from whomever they were speaking with. Either his presence was not wanted; or the presence of the cloaked ones was unwanted. Or perhaps both. Axel wasn't sure why, but the scent of the cloaked ones did smell a bit off…strangely enough; they smelled familiar.

"Have the dogs tracked it," the voice then said.

Dog?

"They're looking around, Locke, be patient," the other voice replied.

"The natives are becoming restless…we need to act quickly and get this bloody Neko," the voice, whom Axel presumed to be Locke, said.

"You're the one who thought we ought to hunt it down," the voice hissed.

"A runaway slave always goes for a wonderful price," Locke said. "And considering how young he looked…nobody wants to lose a strapping young Neko to the harsh elements…not when they could be working."

"What about the other Neko…"

Axel shook his head. A slave? A Neko? What on earth did any of these words mean? He knew the cloaked beings were talking about him…but for what? They obviously wanted him, but why? What was it about him that made him so desirable?

It didn't matter. What did was him getting back to Luxord, who was probably worried sick by now. Axel seemed to have gotten the worst after him, so Luxord would be done with fighting by now and was most likely looking for him. Right now the two cloaked beings were busy looking around here…if he could get himself out of the village without causing to much attention then he would be ok.

Axel looked over to the field that he had run through a few moments ago. Carefully; he stretched his legs out and began to ease his way to the other side of the roof. He knew he had to be quiet, but had to be quick as well. Those…dogs were after him, smelling anything with his scent. He had to hope the wind wouldn't blow away his cover…

Axel took a short breath as he made his way past the halfway point. Human nests were so big… Axel kept edging himself forward trying to keep himself evenly spread so he wouldn't make so much noise. He was close to the end, all he would need to do was navigate himself past a few houses and make a run back into the forest. If he gained enough distance he would be safe.

At the edge; Axel carefully let his legs dangle in the air, spreading them a bit as he prepared to land on the floor. His green eyes kept locked on the woods. He jumped down, landing on his feet. He gave a quick glance behind him, only seeing the backside of the structure. Without a word he made it for the safety of the forest. He passed by a few houses, running as fast as he could, no longer caring about silence. A wonderful feeling soon overtook Axel as his feet felt the stringy sensation of grass.

Yes, he was going to make it back into the woods. He was going to fin Luxord, and once the two met he was going to reconsider this whole adventure thing.

Axel could hear the horrific sounds of barking from afar, the first sign that he had been caught. But he was still quite a distance from the hunters that were after him. He knew he could still hide in the woods and lose them. Axel began to sprint on, trying to keep his energy up as he used all his strength to get into the woods.

Why were these men after him? What had he done to upset them? Was this because he had left the sanctity of that so called "boundary line"? Or was this how the whole world reacted to his kind?

Maybe Luxord was right about this being a bit dangerous? Maybe this was why very few of their kind left the forest…

Axel could now hear shouts from behind him. He gave a quick glance back to see the two forms running after them. He wasn't too afraid though. They would never catch up to him. He was more afraid of the dogs after him, and he had his knife to take care of them. The worst that could possibly happen would be the cloaked being catching up a bit if he was to kill some of the dogs, but he was sure of himself that he wouldn't end up in that situation. Axel was only several feet away from the woods now, and as he noticed this he couldn't help but give another glance behind him. The dogs were no longer following him, and neither were the cloaked beings. They just were standing there, out of breath and angered. Axel could see the one with the rather colorful bandana just glaring at him, while the other seemed to be messing with something in his hands. Axel didn't know what it was though, so he turned around and began to hurry off, not thinking about it until he heard it;

Bang.

No, more like a loud roar of some sort. But if he could give it a word, Axel supposed bang would come closest to comparison. It echoed on, much like an animal in pain, and it caused Axel to stop in his tracks. He couldn't help but jump a bit after hearing such a loud, unfamiliar sound. But even after realizing that such a sound could only mean trouble, and that he should hurry off and stay away from its origins; Axel remained where he was.

He couldn't move. No; he wouldn't move.

Axel lowered his head and stared down at his side.

His eyes widened as he stared at the small hole on the side of his stomach; blood slowly leaking from it. His heart skipped several beats as he let his hand over the mysterious wound-wincing as he felt a hot fiery sensation ache throughout his body as his finger traced around it. And what made it worse was that he could feel blood trickling from behind him. He was bleeding from both sides.

But how?

His eyes darted around, finding no weapon that could have caused such a wound. He swallowed hard as the pain caught up with him, causing him to drop to the floor in pain.

All of this happening within a matter of seconds.

Axel fell to the grassy floor, only a few feet away from the woods. He stared into dark woods, his eyesight blurring from the shock and pain spreading throughout his body. His hand clenched tight to the front of his stomach, trying desperately to apply enough pressure to ease the blood loss. He knew he had to get up if he wanted to escape. Axel lurched forward, on his knees as he tried to steady himself back up. He could hear the sounds of something approaching him from behind, but he didn't let it stop him from trying. His other hand soon joined the fight in stopping flow as he managed to bring himself up in a standing position, his legs wobbling a bit as he stared blankly into the forest.

He was up!

He was up…

And then a hard blow to the head; and then he was out.

* * *

Roxas stared down at the carriage that was in front of the mansion from his bedroom window. He let his hand out into the cool morning air as he watched several Neko's load the carriage up with luggage for his sister's trip.

Whatever had been written on that letter was important. Roxas wasn't sure how important it was; but it was enough for his sister to decide to make an unexpected trip to visit Xaldin. Roxas, of course, didn't say a word as he was told this-by a servant no less. It would have been far too much for Larxene to tell him this herself. But Roxas understood why-it would have been pointless to say any of this to him. He would only suggest against it. He didn't want his sister traveling alone to an unmarried man's house-a man that he barely even knew.

Because, unfortunately for Roxas; he still loved Larxene. And the last thing he wanted was for Larxene to get herself into trouble…

But Larxene had proved it enough times already that he was to have nothing to do with her life, and Roxas had made the decision last night that he would do the same. And so Roxas stared silently from his room, watching as the carriage was readied for his sister to make her trip. It would probably take two or three days to get over there…and the amount luggage she had packed seemed fitting enough; so hopefully nothing out of the ordinary would happen.

Still; it did bother him.

Roxas pulled away from the window.

The next few days would be a bit interesting. He would be in charge. He would finally be the "lord". Without his sister manipulating everything and everyone he would be able to take charge of things. Of course, a few days would not change much. And he had promised himself that he would remain out of his sister's way; changing things around too much would only piss off Larxene.

"Roxas."

Roxas looked over to the door, which he had left opened, to see Larxene standing by the doorway.

Larxene didn't give Roxas the time to react or say a thing as she entered his room, without permission, and began speaking; "while I'm gone I'll need you to do any important tasks that need to be handled."

"Of course," Roxas said almost instinctively.

"I have my secretary on some of it, so you should only have to work on things that are most urgent and would need our signature," Larxene said in an almost stoic tone.

"I understand," Roxas said. He could only hope his eagerness would make Larxene more open and understanding.

"Make sure the slaves are kept in line," Larxene said hastily. "I've yet to purchase new ones-and the last thing I want is complaints from them while I'm away." She groaned, "I've been so busy I've yet to replace the ones I've gotten rid of…"

Roxas nodded his head. His blue eyes couldn't help but idle away as he thought about the Neko's Larxene had under her control. He had just been watching them after all. But it was only right now did he remember they weren't getting paid for their hard work.

"Are you listening to me, Roxas," Larxene asked suddenly.

Roxas quickly nodded his head, pulling himself back to reality.

"I'll take care of any chores that need to be done," he said in an obedient tone. "And…if any traders come by…"

Larxene raised an eyebrow at her younger brother. She almost seemed surprised to hear Roxas say such a thing.

"Just be sure not to waste too much," she said.

Roxas smiled kindly at Larxene as he slowly nodded his head.

The same gesture was not returned.

* * *

…

…

…

It was a frightening thing to wake up to darkness. Even more frightening to wake up and discover that your hands have been tied to your back, and a gag in your mouth. But this was what happened to Axel; tied up and blind folded, wondering where he was and what on earth was going on.

Not even so much that. He figured this to be something of a dream at first, not believing the darkness was real, nor his inability to move. Of course; had he any clue what was coursing through his veins at the moment he might have given another thought to his current situation. But he couldn't. He was too weak, too tired, and too far out of it to grasp what was going on.

But fear did catch up.

As the drugs wore down and realization came up Axel became excruciatingly worried for his very self. He felt his heart rush with fear as he attempted to make his first escape. But within minutes he realized that it wouldn't be as easy as him getting up and running from where he was. He could hear the sound of walking and talking and as he tried to get up the sounds never changed. And he soon understood by. He couldn't get up. Although his legs were free to move about, something was latched around his neck, and whatever it was was tied down to something sturdy. He could lift his head up a bit, but not enough to stand. And whatever was around his neck made it hard for him to turn his head fully as well. He couldn't look all the way up or down with the strange device. Not that he could see with a blindfold on, but it made hearing what was going on a bit more difficult.

To add assault to injury Axel then remembered that Luxord was not with him. The events of last night played throughout his head, over and over again, and all Axel would think abut was where things went wrong and how he ought to have done things differently. But eventually, his mind rested on Luxord. His friend, probably looking for him at this very moment, wondering and worrying over where he could be. It pained Axel to think about this. What if Luxord gave up? What would he do then? Go home? Or would he try to catch on his scent and attempt to find him? What would happen if he did?

What would happen if Luxord got hurt? What if he was in a worse state than he was?

Axel felt tears roll down his face; his body shivering with fear and regret. What on earth was to become of him?

"Are you sure we can't sell him as a pleasure slave," the familiar voice said. Axel was sure it was the one named Locke.

"Males are fixed…unless you want to risk infection then I'd recommend selling him under labor," the voice replied.

What were they talking about?

"He's wild," Locke complained. "Nobody will want to worry about training him."

"He's from the south," the darker voice replied. "People will pay good money for an exotic breed."

"He killed our dogs, Shadow," Locke hissed. "We'll need compensation for the costs of the ones we lost."

"He's young enough to catch a decent price," Shadow said. "If anything; he'll be worth more "intact" than fixed. Everyone will want a Neko with a red mane like his…costs for breeding will be more than enough."

"Think so," Locke said with a chuckle.

He had no idea where he was right now; other than the fact that he was traveling with these two cloaked beings. But why where they taking him in the first place?

Why were they talking about "selling"? What did that mean?

"…we can sell him up north," Locke then said.

"North…but the Organization-"

"A small detour, but it will ensure us a good profit," Locke said confidently.

"And you can assure this?"

"He's got an all black coat," Locke said. "That woman up north has all black Nekos. She fancies the color or something."

"You think she'll purchase him," Shadow said.

"Of course," Locke replied. "Lady Larxene; I've done duties with her before. If anything; the higher price will only make him look more valuable. We already have his color and uniqueness to add charges on…I can think of other qualities that may attract her to buy him."

"We're not going to cut him," Shadow said, "I'm not going to risk it…too much of a waste."

"We won't fix him," Locke said with a whine. "We'll just think of things to get her to pay more for him."

"We should have searched for the other Neko," Shadow grumbled. "It killed several of our dogs…blasted thing."

"Well, it's gone now, unless you want to risk arrest," Locke said.

"It could have been a female," Shadow said. "Everybody wants a female…"

Axel shook his head. He didn't like what he was hearing. The men seemed to be talking about…profit.

Profit; even Axel understood what that meant. Having more than the other, being able to gather more of one thing-fish or fruit…and trading it for something of value.

Was that what they were up to? They were going to trade him?

No…that didn't make any sense. Why would anyone trade a living being? Sure, maybe a bird or some fish…but it didn't seem to make any sense to trade him. He wasn't something you could trade after all.

Right?

But then… he had said that everyone wanted a female. Did they mean a female of his own kind? And what value could they be to a completely different species?

No…

Axel began to struggle a bit, trying to free his arms from his back. He needed to get out of here. These people were dangerous. He didn't know enough about what was going on-but he was sure he was going to end up traded. He had to get out of here, make a run for it and go back home. Get out of here, go find Luxord, and get back home and never leave the jungle again. If humans traded Nekos then they obviously weren't something he wanted to hang around with. No wonder few ever left the forest…

"He's awake," Shadow said.

"Sedate him then," Locke said. "No reason to waste energy and time here."

"Right then," Shadow said.

Axel began to wiggle about more, not caring about the pain on the side of his stomach or around his neck. He could hear one of them approaching, and it only made more struggle more. He felt a warm, wet sensation fill the brim around his neck, but he didn't care one bit. He could hear the human messing with something, shuffling item around. He panicked and began to growl-the last attempt at trying to sound threatening.

He felt a gloved hand press him down, forcing him down on his stomach.

"Help me out," Shadow muttered. Axel couldn't believe the tone that came from the man. Why was this ok? Why was it ok to do this to him?

Axel continued to struggle with the man, only freaking out more as another pair of hand threw him down back on his stomach. Axel wiggled around, but found the weight of another body to be too much for him to bear.

Of course, he soon found the extra energy…right as his pants were being removed. Axel squirmed around, but it was no use. A sharp whine escaped from him as he felt something puncture his lower back and into his spine. He managed a muffled hiss as he felt the pain ease just a little and felt the needle pull away from his body. He felt his legs quickly go numb, and soon after his stomach went as well. It was spreading fast. Axel blinked a few times into the darkness as he felt the weight lift up soon after. His eyes watered a bit as he felt himself break in between reality and sleep.

He wasn't going to be going home soon…

* * *

"It's been three days now," Marluxia muttered sickly.

"You have to understand," Aerith replied in an overly calm matter, "vertigo can take a while to heal…"

"It's not so much the vertigo," Marluxia groaned. "More the fact that the damn Neko can't take three steps without making some sort of mess."

"Be patient with him," Aerith said, putting a hand on Marluxia's shoulder. She looked over to where Luxord was, by the window, and then back to Marluxia. "He's busy trying to remember everything he's lost."

"I don't have time for that," Marluxia muttered to Aerith. He turned around and headed back into the hallway. "He can barely perform simple tasks…I swear to god; the only thing he knows how to do is sleep and trip over his tail!"

"Well he is suffering from a major concussion," Aerith said in an almost snide tone.

"I can't sell him if he can't do any work," Marluxia grumbled. "I can't do anything with him."

"Such a shame," Aerith said, "he has a likable personality."

Marluxia stopped in his tracks and stared coldly at Aerith. "And since when was a likable personality something a Neko needed? They're part of the working class."

"You don't even own slaves," Aerith said, not finding Marluxia to be the least bit threatening, "Perhaps things are better off. You'd only end up conned in the end."

"What?"

"You heard me," Aerith said.

Marluxia frowned. Aerith's job was to be honest…to be honest…he could not fire her even if he wanted to. But it was frustrating. Luxord couldn't pull any profit in his condition since he couldn't do a single task without getting himself stuck.

Stuck. That was the only word he could think of. It was like his thought process would just suddenly stop without a given warning.

Unfortunately, there were no known remedies for the Neko's conditions. All he could do was hope Luxord would "magically" get better within the next few minutes, less he feel the urge to throttle him and Aerith. A great personality meant nothing; nobody bought Nekos for their personality.

The past few days had been rather slow. In gaining the Neko's trust Marluxia learned practically nothing. Luxord was literally a blank slate. He remembered nothing of his past self; where he came from or why he had left his home.

Marluxia was able to explain to him that he had received a concussion, most likely from the head injury he received. Luxord was able to grasp this. But after that there only seemed to be nothing but questions. The simplest things that a child would understand made Luxord ponder and question. Sure, the Neko grew up in a dirty jungle, but some of the questions he would ask were a real pain. Thank god for Aerith's kindness or Marluxia would have spent the next few days doing nothing but answering the most obvious questions somebody could ask.

"So…know what," Marluxia asked. "We're at stability, correct?"

"for now," Aerith replied. "With the weather warming up things should speed up as usual."

"Right," Marluxia muttered. "Well then…it's getting late…you ought to head back home and-"

"Might I make a suggestion," Aerith said suddenly.

Marluxia paused for a moment before giving a nod to Aerith. "You may."

"Considering he probably can't be sold…with both long term and short term memory damaged…"

"Aerith…"

"We might want to consider just keeping him," Aerith suggested.

"If I wanted to waste my time watching over a walking mess I'd get married and have kids," Marluxia hissed. "Filthy, messy, children…"

"All things considered," Aerith said, "most countries do use Nekos as a form of labor…with you being one of the few exceptions."

"I've mentioned to you that we wouldn't profit much from them, didn't I," Marluxia said to his secretary.

"Yes, but I'm not saying we go and promote Neko servitude, just that you own a few to better fit in with the parliament," Aerith suggested. "You and Sir Lexaeus are the only two who do not use fiends as a form of labor. And you've said that you've felt a bit of stress after the first meeting."

Marluxia nodded his head, a smile forming on his head.

"You want me to keep Luxord in an attempt to ease any density between Xemnas and those who supported the law," he said.

"He trusts you," Aerith said. "He's unsure of who he was….and what may become of him. Perhaps the greatest thing you can give to him is assurance that he'll always have a place to say." She smiled. "Most would say that an adult wild Neko is too dangerous to train…but you should be able to. He's got no memory to say otherwise. Humanizing him can't be too hard."

"I can't get him to wear a shirt," Marluxia hissed.

"Oh…well other things shouldn't be too hard," Aerith said. "If you want things between you and Xemnas to better; perhaps own a "slave" of your own-"

"Without any collars or clips," Marluxia questioned. "I doubt he'll lat anyone clip him or mark him as a slave."

"Just say he's a personally servant," Aerith said. "Or we can get papers and not have to have him wear something that shows he's a slave."

"I don't know," Marluxia muttered, taking a few step as he did. He leaned against the smooth wall and thought about it.

It did seem like a decent idea. It wasn't like Luxord had anywhere else to go. He was lost…and all he knew was this mansion and those who inhabited yet. All Marluxia would have to do was offer him a safe, stable life…Luxord was sure to accept. When you had the choice between nothing and something; something would always win. The only problem would be training him to perform some sort of tasks. The vertigo got in the way of everything…Marluxia would have to hope it would pass in time.

"Right then," Marluxia said. "So…how do we explain to him that he may never gain his memory back in the nicest way possible?"

"I think he'll come to that conclusion himself," Aerith said, her face looking down.

"Aerith," Marluxia muttered. "What's wrong?"

Aerith's eyes looked up to Marluxia for a few seconds before giving a small glace behind him.

Marluxia paled a bit. He let go of Aerith and turned around, staring at two glowing blue eyes in the hallway. He watched the body lower a bit before scurrying off, not a word being uttered from the Neko. Marluxia took a deep breath as he turned around to Aerith.

"He heard…"

"Just that," Aerith said.

"Why does he follow us…?"

"Doesn't want to be alone," Aerith muttered. Marluxia could see a bit of guilt on her face. "But then…it would only be a matter of time before he came to this conclusion."

"Do you think one of us should talk to him," Marluxia asked.

"Not to sound cruel, but I would suggest against it till tomorrow," Aerith muttered. "Let him think….and it's a bit dangerous to approach an angered fiend…especially one lacking morals."

Marluxia frowned. He looked back into the dark hallways and sighed.

He couldn't imagine how lonely it must be…to not have anything to rely on.

And Luxord would have to wait till tomorrow till hearing anything close to decent news.

"…Aerith," Marluxia muttered.

"Yes," Aerith said.

"I feel…guilty," Marluxia said. "What we're doing…what I've thought of doing…"

"You're only human," she said. "You can't help it…"

Marluxia thought about what she had said and frowned.

"…what about him?"

* * *

I'm going to attempt some romance in the next chapter. Yummers...right? Right.


	5. Fir

So I decided to open myself for the beta business. For the longest time I've only been a beta to a few personal members on the site, but I think now is the right time for me to open my doors to everyone. Because, not everyone on this site is immature and writes HSFF, some have ideas that deserve to be worked on. But yeah, I want to thank Sane Asylum for inspiring me to do this. I helped beta her first two chapters of Freak Show, and it was a good experience-something that I never would have suspected from beta-ing. Go bother her and read her story when you have the time.

In other news, you should all go bother SugarBeatAngel. She's draws, writes, and looks good-and therefore deserves the attention. When you can, visit her dA account (it's on her profile homepage link) and have a look through. She drew me a picture :3 (I loves fan art). Then read her stories-which are very good in my opinion. Then violently harass her.

That is all.

* * *

-Chapter 5-

Larxene grimaced as a rush of cold hair blew across her, causing her to shiver a bit. It was getting colder and colder as she advanced north to Xaldin's part of the country. Although it was springtime there were huge mounds of snow all over the road, making traveling more difficult. She had been planning to arrive to the man's home by midday, but was beginning to doubt it as snow flakes began to fall into the sky. She huddled herself into the corner of the carriage, her arms crossed in frustration as she tried to keep warm in the cold, windy air. She gave a quick glance out the window, seeing huge white mountains fill the scenery. Trees were covered in a thick blanket of snow, but patches of green could be seen here and there.

If Larxene had a heart she'd probably care. One that worked, that is.

But she eventually made it to the grand town that filled the mountains and at the very edge of it was Xaldin's fine estate. Larxene was actually mildly surprised to see such grandeur of a building; it seemed to stand out in such a winter wasteland.

Larxene's carriage was soon stopped, nowhere near the warm and inviting building, much to her surprise. It eventually became knowledge that the roads were blocked with heavy snow, and that she would have to travel by chocobo. The servants soon road in, and Larxene almost hissed in revolt when her eyes laid on the white and light blue creatures, chirping and making a whole slew of annoying sounds.

Offensive as it was; Larxene road the darned thing. Horses were not made for this type of terrain, and the last thing she wanted was to stay at an inn. It was something of a rough ride; but she got to Xaldin's right on schedule.

And it didn't take a real genius to figure what the first things to come out of her mouth were;

"Too much damn snow," Larxene hissed as she tried to warm herself in from of the huge fireplace. "And it's springtime too…"

"And now you see why so little meetings are held in my company," Xaldin muttered nonchalantly, hardly looking over to the cold blonde. He poured a cup of green tea and took a sip. "You're better off sitting down…standing by the fire will only dry out your skin."

Larxene muttered a few obscene words before giving in and sitting down on a soft chair. She stared at the fine chine that had been placed on the high table for a few moments before sighing and taking a cup for herself.

"Well then," she grumbled. "What on earth was so important that you had to invite me to this frozen wasteland?"

"A proposition," Xaldin said.

"Gee, I wouldn't have guessed," Larxene muttered sarcastically, taking a sip of her tea. She made a sour face and began to add sugar to the concoction.

Larxene was smart enough to figure this on her own. Although the letter that had been sent to her was vague on detail, the fact that bother were alone in a room-doors closed and windows shut tight proved that he wanted to keep things private between the two of them. Whatever he wanted must be important; she just needed to figure out what it was and think of ways that would help her profit from his idea.

Xaldin chuckled.

"A marriage proposal," he added on.

Luckily for both Xaldin and Larxene; she had yet to take another sip from her drink.

The blonde went wide eyed, her mouth opening in shock and forming and "o" as she tried to grasp what Xaldin had just said.

Xaldin took another sip from his drink, his eyes closed and his posture relaxed. He placed his cup down and looked straight at the shocked blonde.

"With Marluxia," he then added once more.

Larxene gave a huge sigh of relief. Xaldin ignored it and gave the young woman a chance to say a few words.

"…I didn't sigh because I didn't find the idea of-" Larxene tried to think of a word to say, but frowned when she couldn't think any.

"No, I understand," Xaldin said. "A woman of your status wants nothing to do with marriage," Xaldin replied. "You have better things to worry about than pushing kids out and attending social gatherings. No; you were definitely made for power and monopoly."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Larxene said with a roll of her eyes. "But…you said Marluxia, correct?"

"I did," Xaldin said.

"Well…a bit weird for you to be making the proposal then he, right," Larxene said, crossing her arms. "He needs to be the one taking action; not you? Or did he tell you this at some point?"

"Larxene," Xaldin said, standing up. He approached her, standing before her with an all too serious look on his face; "do you really think he wants to marry you?"

"…I'm guessing no," Larxene asked. "But then why ask me this?"

"What I'm asking is that you woo him to want to have your hand," Xaldin said.

"Well…that was a bit…blunt," Larxene said disdainfully. She lowered her eyes for a moment, thinking about what Xaldin had asked of her before looking back up to him. "Care to explain why I would want to do such a thing?"

Xaldin smirked and walked away from her, chuckling a bit as he did.

"I think we can both agree that he is as stubborn as you are, especially in the world of politics," Xaldin said as he stared into the red flames. "He's a quick thinker…by now he's probably dancing on flames just thinking about how Xemnas was about to screw him over."

"What on earth are you talking about," Larxene said.

"I read that boys face," Xaldin said. "Xemnas offered him something-property, money…but whatever it was wasn't enough to get Marluxia to take his side." Xaldin turned around and faced Larxene, "not that it would have mattered-the Reproduction Factor would not have done well for Marluxia's counties anyway…and Marluxia himself would have figured this out by now. How long has it been…about a week? Yes; he most certainly has figured it out that Xemnas was not being caring about shared profit."

"And what does this have to do with me," Larxene asked hastily. "So far you've only shown to me that Marluxia is going to be disliked…"

Xaldin smiled; "Larxene, despite being born a women; you were given a man's job."

"Only because Roxas was too young to take my father's role," Larxene said bitterly. "Otherwise I'd be married by now."

"True, but this has lead to you being taught many things-things most girls would never be taught," Xaldin said. "And you've sat in your fathers seat for quite some time; learning not only how laws are passed-but how they help build power."

Xaldin walked back to Larxene; the same smirk back on his face. Larxene continued to frown, still a bit unsure of where this was going.

"Larxene, you do understand it will only be a matter of time before Roxas takes your place as family heir," Xaldin asked. He saw Larxene's grim expression and continued; "your influence will no longer matter when he takes seat alongside us…it is inevitable."

"So you think Marluxia's going to change this," Larxene spat. "I doubt me marrying into his family will do me any good…"

Xaldin sighed.

"No," he said. "I'm not saying that at all. You see, Larxene, in case you didn't already know; Marluxia will be nothing good to us." Xaldin sighed again. "He's a lot like your uncle, as much as he hates the man. Marluxia is the kind of man who will expect answers to the questions he asks-the right answers. Anything too vague or suspicious will leave him to only question more. Although Vexen promotes mental and social advancement-Marluxia promotes the advancement of what appears to be the better of the whole. And although equal share in power can be done- it just will not happen. It can't happen; because in order for one to gain something needs to be lost…and nobody wants to lose."

"So he believes in socialism," Larxene asked.

"Not completely," Xaldin answered. "He just wants to make sure he gains just as much as Xemnas would from passing a law."

"I see," Larxene said, "and I suppose I've been duped a few times in the past?"

Xaldin coughed a bit and returned to his seat, not answering Larxene's question.

"Look," Xaldin said. "Marluxia's two years away from his twenty fifth birthday. This means he has two years left to find himself a wife-one of class."

"And you want me to be that wife," Larxene asked.

"Not just me," Xaldin said. "Before leaving; Xemnas and I spoke heavily on our futures…and we both agreed that Marluxia would be something of a problem."

Larxene smiled coldly, "so you want me to become his wife…so that I may influence any future decisions? Is that it?"

Xaldin nodded his head.

"Precisely," he answered. "You're a smart girl Larxene…and we can all agree that a man will do whatever he can to make his wife happy. Should you get him to at least consider you, we'll be better off."

"What if he chooses another," Larxene asked. "After all…"

"As I said earlier; he's as stubborn as you are," Xaldin said quickly. "He wants nothing to do with being tide down. I could see it on his expression that he found the meeting to be quite boring and anything but influential. If anything you'll make life a bit more interesting."

Larxene stared hard at Xaldin. Her smile faded as she realized there would be no gain from this marriage. She could influence Marluxia; she had no doubt about that…but she had a hard time believe either Xaldin or Xemnas would give her something in return for her duties. What could they give her? All of her current powers would go to Roxas, and anything else to Marluxia. That wasn't fair at all…

"Xaldin," Larxene asked.

"Yes," he muttered.

"I can see why you would want me to marry Marluxia," Larxene said. "In order for you to pass laws that would benefit you and him, you would need more than half the votes. Vexen will be leaving seat soon, leaving you to deal with Marluxia and Lexaeus. And if Marluxia takes side with you then you'll have nothing to worry about. You'll get what you desire and will probably get that nasty slave law of yours passed in a few years or so."

"We're planning less than a year, but yes; that is the general idea," Xaldin said. "Vexen's son in law will take his seat, and Roxas shall replace yours. If all goes well then we'll find ways to bend one or the other. But till then we'll worry about Marluxia."

"But how will I gain from this," Larxene asked. "Obviously Xemnas has promised you something, but you've yet to promise me anything!"

"Ah yes," Xaldin said, "how could I forget?" Xaldin took another sip from his tea and gave a long sigh. "You won't be gaining anything, Larxene."

Larxene's eyes widened.

"As a woman, the only thing you can do is lose," he continued. "You will lose your seat, power, and you will lose money in the form of a dowry, children, and you will continue to lose more even after that. Such is the life of a refined woman…but not the life for you." Xaldin placed his cup down once more before looking into Larxene's eyes with a dark look, "the only thing I can promise you is that you'll keep your dignity and some power…that is all. Xemnas is willing to pay for a dowry, and has even offered to pay for a dress…but in the end you will, as nature intended, lose. The only thing you can to is hold on to what I've offered and pray that Marluxia will be a good provider and do what you tell him to."

Larxene was silent in her seat. She hadn't thought much of it, not even after Roxas had returned; but it was true. The only thing left in her life was to marry, have a family, and care for them. What little free time she would have would be spent doing frivolous things…

Larxene sank into her seat, her expression showing little emotion.

Xaldin stood up and gave a quick stretch before walking over to the doors and unlocking them with his key. He ignored Larxene's upsetting position as he made the room less dark and more inviting.

"Well," he said, approaching her. "Dinner will be in two hours. By then you will tell me your decision; and from there we'll decide what to do."

Larxene looked up at him and scowled.

"Don't give me that look," he spat. A smirk then formed across his face. "Whatever shall Marluxia think if he saw you with a nasty expression as that?"

And with that Xaldin left the room, leaving Larxene to think hard about her future "career". He wasn't all too worried though. He knew the women well enough that some power would be better than none. And if Marluxia didn't love her then she wouldn't have to worry about too many brats to rise.

Yes…nothing to worry about at all.

* * *

"May I enter," Marluxia voice echoed through the door.

Luxord perked up a bit, his heart pumping a bit faster as he heard the familiar voice. For a moment he felt a bit better and almost ran to the door, more than willing to let the man into "his" room. But no sooner did this spark of excitement fill him did it dwindle and fade out. Luxord was unsure whether or not he wanted Marluxia, or anybody for that matter, near him right now.

He…was…

Luxord sank into the bed as he tried to figure what the pain in his chest represented. That heavy, yet hollow feeling that filled him and made him want nothing more than to be left alone. And yet, at the same time; he really wanted someone to walk up to him and tell him everything was going to be ok.

Thinking about it really made Luxord want to open the door.

Luxord sighed into the pillow as he tried to think about whether he could handle more bad news. He knew he should have left the two humans alone. He didn't know why he had to go follow them. Luxord figured he was so used to their company…but now he was really regretting it. Hearing them saying something so…disappointing made him want nothing to do with them.

After all; how could Marluxia say that after telling him he would eventually gain his memory back? The only thing Luxord wanted…what defined him and explained everything about him…

It was everything. And he lost it.

Of course he didn't really notice so much when he woke up. He did not notice that he woke up in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by things that he couldn't give a name to. But when he was explained about his situation, it began to make sense-but by bit at a time. Marluxia had told him he had suffered a head injury, and that because of it he was suffering from both vertigo and amnesia. According to what he had said; both could be cured.

But now…

What was Luxord going to do if he never gained his memory back? How would he figure out how to get home; where his friends and family were?

There was little doubt in Luxord's mind that such a thing could ever happen; failure that is. No, he seriously believed everything he was told and figured that if he listened to what he was told things would work out somehow. It sounded truly gullible; but it was Luxord had to really on. He knew nothing of himself, and the human he didn't even know knew more about him. It was just painful thinking that he would go on in life never knowing who he was or what happened to him the night before he lost his memory.

Luxord sighed as he then realized the betrayed feeling he had right now was pointless. He couldn't blame Marluxia for giving him false hopes, could he? He wanted to, he really did, but after everything the man had done for him he knew it would be right. Marluxia gave him a place to stay for the time he had been here, and had provided him with the much needed essentials. Marluxia had done a lot for him….Luxord knew he was supposed to be more grateful than what he was currently acting.

He leered over at the door and frowned, still not wanting to talk to Marluxia. He knew Marluxia was a good man…he was just being honest, wasn't he?

Honest behind his back? Why give him false hope in the first place?

Luxord shook his head.

No, Marluxia wouldn't do that…

Marluxia was a good person. He helped him. Marluxia would never do something hurtful on purpose. It just didn't make any sense. Good people don't do bad things.

Maybe Marluxia was trying to be helpful, but knew it was beyond his capabilities?

Luxord didn't know. All he knew was that Marluxia just meant well.

And here he was…being difficult.

Luxord sighed as he got up from his bed and walked over to the door. He opened it slowly, his eyes and ears lowering as he tried to not face Marluxia, feeling ashamed an upset at everything that had happened.

"Luxord," Marluxia muttered, "are you in the mood for a talk?"

Luxord looked up, staring at the young man with an unsure expression.

"You heard what I said last night," Marluxia added on. "You know there is a realistic chance that you may not regain your memory."

"…yes," Luxord murmured. He stared at Marluxia with an upsetting expression.

"I know you feel a bit…betrayed," Marluxia said. "Nobody likes bad news, and I did tell you that you would regain memory of who you were…"

"..I don't blame you," Luxord said, looking away again. He felt guilty about being angry at Marluxia. He knew he couldn't blame him-it would be wrong and immature to do so. "I'm just…upset."

"You have right to be," Marluxia said as he walked into the room. "I told you something that gave you hope. You were expecting nothing less from me. And now I've let you down. By all means, be upset and angered by your situation."

Luxord's eyes widened in surprise as he stared curiously at Marluxia.

Marluxia pulled a chair from the small table and sat himself down, his deep blue eyes staring at Luxord.

"Luxord; it's only natural that you would be upset by this. Don't fall prey to doubt. You need to accept certain emotions…otherwise you'll end up becoming a pushover," Marluxia said. "You feel like being upset with me; go ahead and say it. Or keep it inside of you; I don't care. But be upset with me nonetheless."

"Why are you telling me this," Luxord suddenly asked.

Marluxia lifted his hand and motioned Luxord over, calling him to sit next to him. As Luxord walked over he continued on; "because in order for this relationship to work I'll need you to be more honest with yourself…"

Luxord sat himself down and stared at Marluxia with a confused look.

"Relationship," he asked.

"Yes," Marluxia replied. "Tell me, Luxord; what do you think of me?"

Luxord thought for only a few moments before coming up with an answer.

"I like you," he replied. "You're good."

Marluxia nodded his head. "that's how you feel about me now?"

Luxord nodded his head.

"Well then," Marluxia said. "What we have right now would be considered to be a good relationship. Or at least a decent one. We respect each other, and we think nothing ill of one another."

Luxord nodded his head again, a part of him relaxing a bit. He was a bit worried that Marluxia would have been upset for him eavesdropping, but he could see that it was nothing like that. Marluxia has said he thought nothing ill of him. That was a good thing.

"Now, what about when you first met me," Marluxia continued. He relaxed an arm on the table and went on; "I think we can both honestly say you were not feeling very welcomed by my presence."

"That would be a bad relationship," Luxord asked.

"Not exactly," Marluxia answered. "You didn't know any better. But say that you did. Then yes, it would be a very bad relationship."

"Right," Luxord said.

"Now, Luxord," Marluxia continued, "In the past few days you've been here you've learned that there are certain things that you can and cannot do. Rules help keep things in order, and order is always needed to keep the peace." Marluxia paused for a moment, reading the Neko's eyes to make sure he understood what was being told. "I gave you simple chores…not to work you or anything, but to keep you busy and active. To give you a part and help repay for your living conditions."

Luxord easily recalled the small chores Marluxia gave him. There were many servants in Marluxia's home, and in the past few days Luxord had been taken to them and taught how to do certain chores. Marluxia had asked him to help them with the work…

Luxord frowned as he recalled several of the incidents.

"Well, as of now you'll no longer be needed to perform any of these duties," Marluxia said suddenly.

Luxord's heart skipped a beat and filled with worry.

"Did I do something wrong," he asked weakly. He didn't want to be removed from any chore duties. He knew he wasn't the best at getting things done, and that he was a bit clumsy, but he was sure he would improve with time. "I know I'm not very good…"

"That's not the reason," Marluxia said, not giving Luxord a chance to finish the sentence. "There would be no point in giving you chores or duties, especially when you're suffering from mild vertigo. Besides, as I mentioned before; it'll be better that you don't work in order to keep our relationship strained."

Luxord shook his head slowly; "I don't understand."

"…I said there was a chance you may never gain you're memory back, right," Marluxia said, looking out the window. "That you'll probably live life a new slate?"

"That's what you said to Aerith," Luxord said.

Marluxia muttered a few words underneath his breath before giving a long sigh and looking straight at Luxord. "…Luxord," he said in a rather serious tone, "you might never get your memory back. You may never find you who you were. You might never find you what happened before losing your memory, and you certainly never make it back to whoever you came from in this condition."

Luxord frowned, feeling a huge sinking sensation grow within him.

It hurt. It hurt to be told that. Why did Marluxia say that?

Luxord felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He didn't look up to see who it was, knowing quite well it was Marluxia. He felt his breath stagger a bit as he tried to refrain from showing any signs of weaknesses in front of him; not wanting any more pity from Marluxia.

"I know it hurts," Marluxia said. "…you can go ahead and-"

"I'm…alright," Luxord muttered underneath his breath.

Marluxia sighed.

"Well…Luxord…I know this may seem…a bit inappropriate," he said, "but, in case such this probability becomes a reality, then you should know that you're more than welcome here."

Luxord immediately looked up and stared at Marluxia with a shocked look on his face.

"As I mentioned, you won't have to do any chores while you reside here," Marluxia said. "As a permanent member of this household you'll be allowed to do as you please. And you'll be in full control of the servants. You'll never have to worry about being alone either."

Alone…

Luxord couldn't think of anything worse than being alone forever.

"The world isn't very friendly to your kind," Marluxia said. "And rather than risk sending you out on your own, I'm willing to give you a new life." He frowned a bit; "I know it isn't what you want…but it's all I can offer you. You'll have a new home, a new life…a new family."

Luxord's ears perked up a bit, his blues eyes looking carefully at Marluxia. He could feel excitement growing in his chest after hearing the offer. He knew he shouldn't be too happy, that he ought to be sad and upset…but it almost seemed too hard. He felt happy. Excited. Marluxia's words seemed to just stick in his head, and it almost removed that horrible sensation of complete loneliness.

And when he got down to it; this mansion was the only world he knew. Luxord knew nothing of the outside world, knew nothing outside the many rooms and elaborate decorations that filled each one. He hadn't the slightest idea how the world worked, why things had to be this way, or why he was what he was.

Luxord didn't even know what he was. If it were not for Marluxia and Aerith pointing out the few obvious traits, Luxord would have assumed he were the same as them. Sure; he had claws and a tail, but it didn't seem so out of the ordinary to him…

But this was why he was so grateful Marluxia had found him. He couldn't even begin to think about what would have become of him if he woke up alone, without a clue to where or who he was. And Marluxia made note, as often as he could, that he was a human, and that Luxord was not-and that the world treated his kind differently. Another reason why Luxord was very grateful towards Marluxia.

And now Luxord wished nothing more than to accept Marluxia's offer. He knew something was better than nothing, and with Marluxia he would have something to rely on till he gained his memory back-if he gained his memory back.

"I'll leave the offer open for as long as you like," Marluxia said finally. "I know this is a lot to take in within a few hours. You need time to settle down and think about your future and how you want to benefit from it. I'll allow you to stay here for free, no matter what, and I'll give you free reign of the property."

"What," Luxord said suddenly.

"I've kept you from going outside for selfish reasons," Marluxia said, "but I think you deserve to go and at least wander the garden area. Perhaps it'll do you some good."

"You said it would be better for me to stay inside," Luxord pointed out. "Better for my wounds, and better till I get the vertigo down…"

"You're healing well." Marluxia said. "And the vertigo will pass…but you need fresh air. I may not know enough about your kind, but I know you need to be outside."

"…I don't know…"

"I want you to feel welcomed here," Marluxia said, getting up from his seat. "I want you to be able to feel like you belong, in case you do decide to become a permanent resident here." Luxord watched as Marluxia began to slowly head to the door. He wanted to say something.

"…Marluxia," Luxord asked.

Marluxia turned around and faced Luxord; "yes?"

"If I do stay," Luxord said suddenly. "…if I decide to stay here…would you still try to help me gain my memory back?"

Marluxia stared hard at Luxord, standing silently as though he were almost considering to say no. But Luxord knew this was not the case. He almost began to wonder what he had even asked the question. Any pause had a purpose, and he believed Marluxia's to be a cause of personal doubt, nothing less. But after the pause grew longer, even Luxord began to wonder.

"…of course," Marluxia said finally, after both began to feel the tense presence from the long gap of silence. "I'll do everything in my power…just understand that there may be little or no improvement."

"I understand," Luxord said, his voice a bit shaky from hearing the harsh reality. No matter what, the possibility of remaining an unknown anomaly frightened him.

Marluxia nodded his head and began to walk out of the room. Luxord remained in his seat, trying to grasp everything that had been said and figure out what he was to do with himself.

What was he going to do?

He looked down, slumping over into a more depressed position as he stared down at the floor. He could hear Marluxia's steps, walking down the hallway. He looked up for a moment, staring at the space Marluxia once occupied.

What was he going to do?

* * *

"Sir, there are Hunters asking to see Larxene," a servant said, approaching Roxas.

Roxas lifted his eyes from the book he was reading and stared intently at the young woman. He let the book to his lap and gave a small smile.

"What do they want," he asked. "Did you tell them my sister is not available?"

The servant girl nodded her head, bowing a bit as she did.

"They've insisted," she replied. She looked up and gave Roxas a nervous look. "Do you want me to have to guards send them away?"

Roxas sighed as he tried to think of why Hunters would be asking for Larxene. He doubted she was in any trouble, or even if she was that she would have employed Hunters to aid her. He knew Hunters performed certain jobs, depending on their ranking, and couldn't help but wonder if Larxene had hired them for a mission. But then, Larxene didn't have any enemies that would require her to use them…did she?

"They've brought a Neko with them," he heard the girl say, and Roxas then immediately got up from his seat.

"Has she personally employed them to find her a slave," he asked the servant.

"I'm not sure," was the reply.

Well, a Neko was a Neko right?

Roxas knew Hunters would do anything to make a good profit, and that simply purchasing the Neko would be something of a mistake. But he knew Larxene was looking to replace some of the slaves she had rid of, and although he had been planning on leaving by the end of the week-something he had to postpone till she arrived back home so that someone would be in control-he did want to be on her good side. He wanted nothing more than her approval…and perhaps this would be a way of earning such.

"Send them in," he said, "and make sure to have guards keep an eye on them. The last thing I want if for them to cause a disturbance."

The girl gave a nod and hurried out of the library, leaving Roxas to ready himself as he thought of things to look for in purchasing a slave. No, Roxas didn't think this was right. He knew he was committing the poor creature to a life of misery, but he figured his sisters love would be more of a win than sending the Neko off with the Hunters, where it would most likely be sold off to another. At least this Neko would be working in a nicer environment. Besides, chances were it had been born into servitude already…wild Nekos were a rarity these days.

Roxas tidied himself up a bit as, in no hurry, walked over to Larxene's office. He pulled out a sheet of paper from a file; a trade decree. He checked to see that it had been updated, in case anything would go wrong with the Neko in the next month, before rolling it up and making his way to the main hall. On his way, Roxas made sure to get a good handful of money. He had never bought a Neko before, but figured they ran for a great deal. He knew a few rules; young males and fertile females cost more, whilst a child would cost the most-but didn't really know what the exact amounts usually came up to. He had to be sure to keep confident though, least the Hunters caught on.

Roxas soon made his way to the main hall, and his eyes immediately caught the two Hunters standing in the middle of the hallway. They were hard to miss; both men dressed in black from head to toe. That, and right in the middle of them was a Neko; tied to the brim and blindfolded for extra precaution.

"Gentlemen," Roxas said as he walked down to great the two Hunters.

Both Hunters bowed, one at a time, showing their respect to Roxas. Roxas nodded his head, his eyes lingering on the strange Neko that was on his knees. Roxas had always figured the Hunter's uniform to be out and out of place, but the Neko's choice of clothing was a bit off as well. It had only pants covering his body, as well as a leather strap covering a portion of his right arm. Both were made from the same material…which wouldn't normally keep a Neko warm in these conditions. Another thing that caught Roxas' attention was the fact that his claws were untrimmed. Both hands and feet bore sharp claws, and judging by the shape and length; neither had ever been trimmed.

"I see you've noticed," one of the Hunters' said. "He's a wild Neko."

Roxas unintentionally took a step back.

"Not to worry," the Hunter said. "We've not fed him a single bite since capturing him. He's in no shape to attack anybody."

"…still wild," Roxas said. He frowned as he looked harder at the Neko. A wild male Neko. It would trouble, attempting to train him and tech him…he was sure more time would be spent whipping it than having it work.

The Hunter frowned and grabbed hold of the Neko, lifting it up.

"Before you decide," the Hunter said, untying the blindfold, "have a better look at this Neko. Not only does it have a wonderfully silky coat and colorful mane, but has an exotic eye color as well." The other Hunter grabbed hold of the Neko's face and forced it up, exposing his face to Roxas. "And although he may be wild, think of the money you'll make should you decide to breed him." The Hunter then forced the Neko's head down. Roxas could hear a small, weak grunt come from the Neko, but refused to say a thing about it. "Besides, your sister enjoys Nekos with a black coat, right?"

Roxas didn't answer, his eyes glued to the Neko. Despite it being in a pathetic, lame position; Roxas could feel that, at one time; there was some majesty to it. He once ran about, completely free. Roxas couldn't help but wonder what he had done to get himself in this predicament. But what seemed to have grabbed his complete attention were the Neko's green eyes. They were almost a bright emerald, managing to capture a glow despite the Neko being weak and tired from the journey it had traveled. Roxas couldn't explain the sensation itself, only that it made him feel for more inclined to purchase the Neko.

"It would make a lovely gift," the Hunter said, "don't you think?"

Roxas took a deep breath, his eyes still looking down at the drooping body.

"Let me see his face again," Roxas asked.

The hunter turned to the other, and both grabbed hold of the Neko, the same one holstering him while the other forced the redheaded Neko to look up.

Once again, Roxas stared into those bright green eyes, and this time; the green seemed to look right back at him. He could see the bit of energy left in the creature; fear and anticipation filling the small black pits of the eye. Roxas loved it. The color. The energy it brought up. And without a given though, he let his hand get closer to the Neko's face. Roxas kept his eyes locked with the emerald colored ones, not thinking once until his fingers touched the Neko's face-resulting in it attacking.

It was only a brief spark of energy, but it was enough for Roxas to fall back. The Neko had given a hard jerk, breaking free from the Hunters grasps-though only for a moment. While the Hunters fought for control. Roxas stared in awe and shock- a hand on his face as he felt his heartbeat rush in fear.

He hadn't predicted it would have the energy to attack him like that.

He looked down, ignoring the shouting in the hallway, as he searched for any wounds. Servants rushed over to aid him and bring him to his feet. A quick search determined that there were not superficial wounds, and the worst he would suffer would be some bruises from the fall. But Roxas didn't care. How could he? Roxas turned around and stared at the guards and servants who were shooing away the two Hunters; both of which were still trying to calm the redheaded Neko down. Roxas huffed and hurried over, passing and pushing his way passed the servants and guards as he managed to get himself in front of the two Hunters.

He stared hard at both of them, his breathing a bit rough as he was trying to calm himself down after what had happened.

The Hunter with the bandanna frowned.

"We're extremely sorry about what's happened," he muttered disdainfully, "if you could find it on yourself to-"

"-I'll take him," Roxas said.

"Excuse me," The Hunter asked, his eyes wide in surprise.

Roxas handed the Hunter the whole bag of money he had grabbed along the way to the hallway. He could hear a few mutters go by, as well as a few unneeded comments. He ignored them.

"This should be more than enough," Roxas said, shaking the bag so that the Hunters could hear the sound of the many coins inside.

Without a second thought, the bag was snatched away from Roxas. He stared as the Hunter began to open the bag, checking to see the amount in it.

"Since he's never been owned before, we won't have to sign the first half of the contract," Roxas pointed out. "Less work for you, as well as a large sum of money."

"Do you plan on killing this Neko," the Hunter asked as he closed the bag. "The amount-"

"What does it matter to you," Roxas said. "Would you prefer to have less?"

Both Hunters went silent.

"Then it's a deal," Roxas said, offering his hand to the Hunters. There was a few seconds of eyeing each other, but then one of them took his hand and shook it.

"You made a good deal," he muttered.

Roxas smiled.

His blues eyes then went back to the Neko.

He bright green eyes still had that same spark in them, only there seemed to be much more than before. Roxas watched as the round green eyes formed into a sneer, glaring hatefully at him as though he were something repulsive.

Roxas didn't care.

He wanted this Neko. And not for Larxene's approval.

No…for the Neko's approval.

Roxas chuckled as continued to stare at the Neko.

The Neko made a muffled sound, not able to form a proper noise with the gag in its mouth. But Roxas was pretty sure it was a hiss.

* * *

Marluxia blinked a few times, his eyes lazily looking around the darkness that was his room. He had the drapes covering his bed, only a small crack was open enough for him to look through. He moved a bit, tossing a few sheets around as he peered through the crack to see the end of his room.

Luxord was awake.

He had left his door open, knowing the Neko would pass by at some point, as he had done so before. Marluxia didn't know whether or not Nekos were nocturnal or not, but he did find it fascinating that Luxord walked around at night. The few servants that worked during the night hours have never gave him a complaint, saying that the Neko was only walking around, sometimes opening the occasional door to peek inside.

Maybe he was looking for something?

Marluxia tossed the idea out the window, remembering that he had given Luxord all his personal possessions soon after he woke up. None of the items had done any good though; Luxord couldn't put a finger on anything, only saying that he felt familiar around them…but that was all.

Marluxia jumped a bit as he heard his door creak open a bit. He could see, through the drapes, Luxord's shape, standing t the doorway. Marluxia kept quite, staring at the frozen shape that was looking through the room.

What…was he looking for?

Marluxia sighed as he relaxed himself, letting himself sink into the warm sheets as he drifted off to sleep. He knew he had nothing to worry about. Luxord would eventually warm up and let himself integrate with all the other residences in this mansion. He just had to give the Neko some space.

…

…

…

"…Marluxia?"

Marluxia's eyes slowly opened up, but closed almost immediately. It wasn't he felt large hands grab him and gave him a small shake did he actually stay awake. However, he wasn't all too pleased when the realization that there was someone in his private space-on his bed-shaking him like a doll. Even less happy when he found out it was Luxord.

Nobody like waking up to see a wild animal in their bedroom…

"…Luxord," Marluxia stammered.

He could barely see the Neko, his eyes not used to focusing in the darkness.

Luxord nodded his head.

"I thought about everything you said," Luxord muttered, looking down at the sheets. "I'm really thankful that you've let me into your home and everything…and I do feel bad that I've acted the way I did. Even though you said I should have been upset…"

"Luxord," Marluxia muttered. "I understand, I really do. But it's a bit late, and although you may feel energetic right now…I don't."

Luxord looked up and stared curiously at Marluxia, patiently waiting for him to finish his sentence. The answer to whether Luxord may be nocturnal seemed to be right in front of Marluxia as he could see the small glint in his eyes.

"Maybe we should continue this conversation later," Marluxia said finally. "When I'm more alert and capable of listening to everything you say…"

Luxord nodded his head.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"No, no," Marluxia said. "You didn't know…people…humans spend most nights just sleeping." he yawned a bit and continued; "it's not your fault."

"Right then," Luxord said, though his tone suggested otherwise. He looked at Marluxia for a few more seconds, and then finally muttered; "thank you…"

It took Marluxia a few moments to figure out what Luxord was referring to. He nodded his head and gave a small pat on the shoulder to Luxord.

"See you tomorrow," he said, making sure tomorrow had been said a bit louder than the rest of the words. He watched as the Neko quickly jumped off the bed, ensuring Marluxia that he would finally be able to get some rest. Marluxia quickly covered himself and went back to bed, not bothering to see if Luxord had left the room or not.

What little fear he had for Luxord was quickly diminishing as he saw how unconfident the Neko was. He was sure it had to do mostly with the memory loss…but it did make for less worry. There was no reason for him to be afraid of Luxord. He doubted that the Neko would ever attack anybody in the metal state he was in…

Marluxia closed his eyes, relaxing as he tried to drift off to sleep.

…

…

He was sure he could feel it though. He couldn't place a finger on it, especially for when he did wake up later in the morning to an empty bedroom, but he was sure Luxord never left him.

Must be a strange dream.

* * *

The first part of the chapter was an add on from the last chapter. I feel like it sort of down played on the MarLux, and maybe even the AukoRoku. well, I've decided to pretty much make the next chapter all about Mar and Lux, since I kind of want them screwing before we hit the double digit chapters. Or at least make it so second base... I know this will be a long ass story, but that doesn't mean it should take forever for love to bloom. I know a slower pace makes it more realistic...but this is a story about kitty people. So yeah. Any suggestions for romancing will be accepted though, since these chapters are long and what not and could use flirtatious methods.


	6. Jonquil

My Beta hates me for this chapter. I say the longer, the better.

Vacation...sucked. I was attacked by bugs, burnt by the sun, and rocks jacked up my leg. I suppose it cold be worse though...I could have fallen down a steep hill, hitting a ton of rocks and trees on the way down, breaking my arm and a few ribs along the way...

I GUESS I got away lucky.

* * *

-Chapter 6-

_Dear Marluxia;_

_After reading your rather interesting note, I've looked up the symptoms of amnesia as well as short term and long term memory damage, and even went as far as researching frontal lobe injuries. That is part of the brain, in case you didn't know. _

Marluxia snickered, thinking crude thought as he tried to restrain himself from immediately crumbling the letter that he had just received.

_There have been many home remedies, as well as procedures, that have been thought to regain the memory of a human who has suffered some sort of brain damage. Many have claimed to work, but from what I've read up on, none of them have thorough proof of actually showing improvement. I've concluded that amnesia, assuming it was not brought on by emotional trauma, but, in fact, physical trauma can only be brought back by time. _

Marluxia nodded his head, reading on as he made his way down to the dining hall.

_It should be known, however, that the time itself is never set, but is random. A person may never regain their past memories within this lifetime. And in some cases, should they be lucky to regain memory, there is a chance they may lose it again, or may not regain all of their memories. The reasons behind this are still being debated, but rest assure, all of this is true. _

Leave it to Vexen to shred any hopes of a happy ending. Marluxia couldn't help but smirk a bit as he thought about the man. How on earth his daughters and son in law managed to deal with him was a mystery to Marluxia.

_Now, there are other factors that do go into this. Factors such as age, sex, and specie type can affect memory loss, depending on how damaged the brain is. We do now know that human children have more material, so dubbed gray matter, than an adult. This matter forms the brain, and we predict that the more matter one has the better chance they have of regaining their memory, since the matter forms the soon to be complete adult brain. A study is currently being done on genders, since we also believe this may affect memory as well. I cannot give you a current standing though, since there is not enough information for me to conclude on. As for specie, a study has shown certain breeds of fiends, as well as Magi, Elves, and even those born as werewolves, have different again patterns than we humans. The longer it takes for a certain specie to age means either more gray matter, or slower developing gray matter. _

Marluxia's mouth dropped a bit as he reread the paragraph, trying to decode it to lames terms. Vexen had to be doing this on purpose. What on earth was gray matter? And he was supposed to believe this stuff was in his head? Marluxia scratched at his head, feeling a bit uncomfortable with this thought. This was what he got for sending a letter to Vexen, confusion and that feeling of awkwardness. He was beginning to remember why he avoided the man now. Vexen said things…strange things that were hard to believe and grasp. But they were true, so Marluxia had to put his faith in what the letter had said.

_Assuming you haven't torn the letter by this point…_

Oh that son of a bitch…

…_you've probably come to realize how complicated head injuries are. Unlike those provoked by emotional trauma, there is no guarantee that a person will ever retain a portion of their memory. I know this is none of my business, but I ask, if you have an acquaintance who is suffering from a head injury to either send them to me or a well developed province of either Haii or Teladorne. I have no doubt that you'll try your best for whom it may concern, but understand certain things are out of your control._

So, Vexen already made the assumption that there was reason behind his curiosity. Marluxia shrugged. It didn't matter. Vexen never came over here, and as long as Marluxia reminded the man that the reason behind this was curiosity and nothing more, he should be fine. The last thing he wanted was for Vexen to see he had a Neko running around without a collar or ankle brace, or the fact that he was using the Neko to gain Xemnas' better side…

He's never hear the end of it.

Marluxia went back to the letter, hurrying through what was left. There wasn't much there for Marluxia to read, just the ever popular parent scolding a child speech written out in ink. It wasn't till his eyes laid on the very last sentence did he actually stop and carefully read what was written.

_You will write me back, hopefully soon._

"Already suspicious," Marluxia muttered as he crumbled up the letter.

No matter. He'd get Aerith to write something out, something hopefully vague enough for Vexen to get off his back. Yes…Aerith could write the letter for him.

"Pointless," Marluxia added. "I've learned absolutely nothing…"

Marluxia groaned, snapping his fingers and calling a servant to him. He handed the letter to the maid, told her to rid of it, and walked off in a hurry to get breakfast and then get to work. Hopefully Aerith was amusing Luxord right now. The past few days had become a bit livelier now that there was another member in the mansion, one much more lively. Despite the fact that Luxord seemed to leave a trail behind him, he could be rather likable, if not interesting. The vertigo was either gone or had downsized to an unnoticeable level, and it showed…in a bad way. To best sum it up, Luxord wasn't human…and as he got healthier, it became more and more obvious.

He needed to make a note to get Luxord some sort of training. Likable or not, he didn't want Luxord jumping or running around, breaking things or getting them dirty. He knew, from currently reading a bunch of books, Neko's from the islands would wear normal clothing…and most of them lived alongside humans. A few of them could even read and write, and if they could then surely he could get Luxord to wear normal clothes and act a bit more…human.

Marluxia made his way down the stairs, and he could make out the muffled sounds of Aerith and Luxord talking to one another.

Marluxia plastered a smile on his face as he walked into the dinging hall.

* * *

"I've ordered special clothing for you, Luxord," Marluxia said as he, Aerith, and Luxord strolled down the long hallway. "You'll be expected to wear some sort of clothing while inside the mansion, no matter what. And while outside, you'll be expected to wear some sort of footwear, understand?" Marluxia turned himself around, giving the blonde a serious look. "I'm sure you do, right?"

Without hesitation, Luxord nodded his head, though one cold see from his expression, he was a bit upset to hear this news.

Marluxia smiled, turning around and continued walking. Aerith quickly followed haste, and Luxord calmly strolled behind, his mind wandering about as he tried to figure a way out of his situation.

Almost two weeks had passed since he had woken up, and within that time, though he had been given freedom to do many things, Luxord found himself having certain rules thrown at him. He knew Marluxia was doing it for his own good, but some of them were a bit…unlikable. But Luxord knew there were reasons for everything, and he knew better than to get upset and complain about it. Everyone else in the mansion wore all these layers of clothing, so it would make sense that he did too. Sure, he felt more comfortable wearing what seemed necessary, and he couldn't see why he would want to wear so many layers of cloth on his body.

Plus it felt weird.

"Aerith," Marluxia said.

"Yes," the brunette asked, hurrying over to Marluxia's side.

"I need you to write a letter to Vexen, explaining how much I appreciate him sending the letter," Marluxia said, looking away from Aerith. "I need you-"

"What letter," Aerith asked suddenly.

"…I'll explain later," Marluxia said, pulling off a slightly crooked smile.

Marluxia," Aerith growled, hitting the man on the shoulder and earning a small chuckle from him.

Luxord tilted his head a bit as he tried to get a better look between the two. The way these two acted with one another was always interesting; they never acted so relaxed with anyone else. Marluxia always seemed a bit more strained when he was with anyone else, but when he was with Aerith he was much more calm and at ease. At first Luxord was under some impression that Marluxia was the leader of this mansion, of this area, and that everyone else was to obey him and appreciate him. But seeing how he acted with Aerith, he was beginning to think that, perhaps, she was the leader. Aerith was the only one who spoke to Marluxia without fear or anxiety, and she was the only one allowed to talk to him without permission.

He wasn't sure why, but Luxord figured that the female had a strong place in Marluxia. He couldn't put his finger on what it may be, but he felt as though there was some importance to it, whatever he was. He wished he could ask one of them, but felt as though it was too personal, and the last thing he wanted was to offended ether of them with his ignorance.

"Luxord," Aerith called.

Luxord looked up and stared curiously at Aerith. "Yes," he asked.

"Are you going to be eating lunch today," she asked.

How could they eat so much? Luxord shook his head, his face twisting at the thought of his stomach filling up more than it already was. Three meals, and three big ones at that, made him sick to his stomach, literally.

"Alright then," she muttered, turning to Marluxia. "It'll just be the regulars again, Marluxia."

Marluxia glanced over at Luxord, raising an eyebrow slightly as he thought to himself. Luxord stared back, his tail swinging slightly as he felt a bit anxious.

Marluxia nodded his head.

"See you later, Luxord," he said casually as he walked off, signaling Aerith to follow him. "Go outside and busy yourself. Aerith, Ill explain over lunch…"

Luxord nodded his head, not saying anything as he watched the two head over to get some food.

A part of him felt like appeasing Marluxia. It was strange how he felt like he needed to not upset Marluxia, since he didn't feel like expressing this to anyone else in the mansion. He looked up to Aerith and respected her, not raising his voice around her or upsetting her, but she was different. Although he questioned her…ranking in this mansion, he didn't personally find her to be the leader, unlike Marluxia. Even though Marluxia had said it was ok for him to express anger toward him, Luxord felt uncomfortable. Not just because Marluxia had given him a home, but because he really didn't want to upset or disrespect Marluxia.

Luxord sighed as he turned himself around, walking back to his room.

He wished he knew why he thought the way he did, why he saw things that were obviously different than what the others around him thought. He saw things differently, but he didn't know why.

Was it because he wasn't human?

Luxord looked down and stared at the end of his long fingers, each one with a sharp claw at the end of it.

That couldn't be it. Luxord shrugged the thought off and continued walking down the long, decorated hallway.

It must be the head injury. That had to be it. Luxord let a hand go through his hair, stopping at the front where his skin was still a bit bruised. He didn't look nearly as bad as he had several days ago, but his forehead was still a bit sensitive to touch. But it was healing, and although Luxord had been told he may not get his memory back, he couldn't help but feel a bit hopeful that he might get it back because of it.

Luxord stopped and opened the door, and then made his way into his room. He looked around the emerald colored room, and a calm feeling enveloped him as he made his way to the bed. The bright green colors made him feel strangely at home. He stared at his made up bed, pulling the drapes aside as he sat himself down and looked out the window.

He had a wonderful view of the garden. Both windows showed a part of the gated property, exposing colorful flowers and floral life. Luxord often found himself spending more and more of his time out there, and he spent his time out there doing the strangest things.

Strange because nobody else took interest in whatever he found fascinating.

Sure, once in a while he'd lie out there, and others did that as well, but not in the exact areas he enjoyed relaxing. Luxord could climb…he could jump and run better than anyone else in the mansion. Mind you, he never saw anyone do any of these things, but he was sure they could. It came so natural to him, and it was almost too easy for him to end up on the highest point of the tree of brick wall. And he'd just hang there, relaxing and watching those below him. He had tried to enter the garden once through his room, since there was a tree right by one of his windows, but had been caught by Aerith and nearly caused the poor girl to have a panic attack.

Someone must have done what he had tried to before…and they must have gotten hurt, because all she stuttered at him was how dangerous it was and how he could have been hurt, or worse. Luxord didn't feel that was the case, at first, since he felt more than confident enough to get down on his own, but Aerith was a caring human, and he knew she wouldn't worry without good cause.

Luxord flopped on to the bed, closing his eyes as he recalled the very memory.

Maybe it was because he was different… why else would he feel so sure of himself while everyone else was so afraid?

The reason why he was so good at climbing was because he had the extra aid of his claws. The reason why he could balance so well, and hear things better was because he had something extra to him.

Or maybe it had something to do with his past self. He felt so familiar when he was outside or in his room, or when he was doing things that made the others feel uncomfortable. But then, what did that say about his past life?

Luxord opened his eyes, staring up at the roof of his bed.

He really wished he knew more about his kind. He hadn't seen anyone else that bore the same traits as him. It made Luxord more curious about his kind, since he was quite sure he wasn't alone.

He needed to ask Marluxia if there was a way for him to learn more. Aerith had shown him pictures from a small thing called a book, but Luxord could only get so much from pictures, and he didn't understand all the little markings that filled the book.

There was so much he wished he could figure out…so much he wished he understood. He enjoyed being able to do as he pleased, but he wanted to know things. About himself.

Luxord lifted himself up and looked out the open door, wondering if it was too late for him to go see Marluxia. He didn't want to bother him if he was eating, or for that matter, bother him at all. He respected Marluxia, and it seemed almost fearful to approach him without good reason. The more he learned about him, the more he wanted to ensure a "good relationship" between him and Marluxia. And it bothered him that he didn't know how to do such a thing. He didn't know that he had hissed at Marluxia. He recalled the action, but not the offense itself. And he wasn't sure how he was able to get Marluxia to like him in the first place.

How did it happen? And how could he keep it so it stayed that way, and if not, then how could he get it better than before?

Before Luxord knew it, he was looking out into the hallway, staring intensely at the end of it. He felt his heart race a bit as he could make out the sounds of movement. Whether it was from Marluxia or not, he hadn't a clue, but he couldn't help but with for it. He wanted the sense and feeling of approval.

He needed to figure out how to get it…

* * *

"You've received a letter, sir," a soft voice said from the other side of the wall. Marluxia opened his eyes, blinking several times before remembering where he was.

"Right," he said lazily, getting out from the tub and reaching out for his robe. He wrapped the cloth around his body, trying to figure out who had sent a letter to him. He had yet to send a message to Vexen, and he doubted the man would have sent a second letter without receiving one first…it just didn't make sense to him. Marluxia felt a horrific feeling engulf him as he thought about the possibility of another meeting. He wasn't sure if eh could handle another long journey, followed by a just as long meeting…

Marluxia checked to make himself as decent as he could before telling his servant to come in. He took the letter, wrapped up and sealed with purple wax, and frowned at the site of it.

"Why on earth…," he muttered to himself, stopping halfway as he had forgotten to dismiss his servant from the room.

He waited till his servant girl was gone before fiddling with the purple seal. He recognized the color and the emblem, knowing quite well which family had sent it to him.

Finishing his bath didn't seem like much of an option. The last thing he wanted was for the steam to smear the ink or ruin the parchment. Leaving the seal intact, he hurriedly dried himself and got himself dressed, discarding his robe on the floor, only taking the letter when he was nice and dry.

Marluxia walked out of the washroom, removing the seal as he hurried to leisure room. It had been years since he personally had received a letter from the Ralene family. He couldn't think of a reason why either Roxas or Larxene would send a letter to him, so he figured it had to be important.

Marluxia made a quick turn, and soon made his way into the leisure room. It was late into the evening, but there was still a bit of light coming from the window. Marluxia stood by the fireplace, his back turned so that the bright light would help him read the letter. He unrolled the letter, and let his eyes wander down to eh bottom so he could see who had wrote to him.

It was Larxene.

Larxene…now what did she want? He had spoken with her a bit when he had arrived at Xemnas', and she really didn't seem to have much to say to him for the most part. Like him, she had a very "get in, get out" attitude about the whole meeting, only gaining interest after Xemnas mentioned the Reproduction Factor. His eyes trailed back up to the very beginning, and he slowly began to whisper out the few sentences that were written on the parchment.

He was puzzled.

There was hardly anything of real value written within the note. In fact, the letter in question was about one thing and one thing only.

"She wants to come over," he muttered as he sat himself down in his armchair.

But what for? The letter hardly mentioned that it was of any importance. It was just Larxene asking permission over to his estate, nothing more. She didn't mention that there was any need for him to hurry and write him back, no sign that she was in any distress or needed to find sanctuary…

Marluxia let the letter drop to the floor as he crossed his arms, thinking to himself.

Now wasn't the best time to have anyone over, he was still busy setting things up for summer. But, then again, he could always show off Luxord…Larxene, being a woman, would be sure to gossip about it, and it would be a matter of time before Xemnas would hear of it.

Still…he wasn't sure whether he wanted that woman wandering his hallways at the moment. He already had Luxord doing the same thing…

But as Marluxia began to chuckle at the thought, another soon entered his mind, and it was all but welcoming. Marluxia's smile faded as he then realized what reason Larxene may have for coming over to his home. Why else would she come over…?

His face flushed red from fear and embarrassment.

No…that…that couldn't be the reason.

Marluxia got up from his seat, leaving the note on the floor as he decided now was too early to come to a decision. He'd have Aerith come to a decision; she always knew what to do when the time came to it. Held. was getting older…and Larxene was no spring chicken either, so it would seem natural that she would come to him, being that they were so…so…_old_. He would be twenty five in less than two years, and she was over twenty, which was a big deal in terms of woman hood…

Marluxia walked away from the armchair, making his way to the other side of the room, trying to figure out what he was supposed to do. If Larxene was trying to hint at a possible relationship he would have to make preparations…the kind of preparations he didn't want to partake in. The last thing he wanted was a wife…to have to settle down and pretend to care about someone he could care less about for the rest of his life. Bad enough he had to listen to his parents' bicker, now he would be part of it as well!

"Perfect," Marluxia muttered bitterly to himself.

He sighed, and headed for the door closest to him, but stopped suddenly when he noticed something in the corner of his eye.

For a brief second, he thought it was Aerith, which would have made sense since she had been known to stay over the night. But it wasn't, and there lying on the deep blue couch was Luxord, fast asleep. Marluxia leered at the Neko for a few moments, his eyes bouncing from Luxord to the table, where a few books were scattered around.

It was strange, because staring at Luxord gave Marluxia the strangest desire to shake the Neko till he was awake, and then complain about how cruel the world was…

But what good would that do, Marluxia thought as he sat himself at the edge of the couch, still carefully eyeing Luxord whenever he could. Luxord knew nothing about the opposite sex, aside from Aerith and the servants, and they treated him well enough. No, he had no idea the complexity of the high end world, a world where you marry a woman you don't love and spend half your nights sharing a bed with her, listening to her complaints and suffering through her harsh words.

Oh, ignorance was bliss…

Of course, Luxord probably, before losing his memory, did know a lot about the fairer sex. Marluxia was sure Luxord had his fair share of pretty little female Nekos, running around with their parts exposed for the world to see… he had no doubt about it. After all, Luxord looked quite handsome, as handsome as a fiend could be. Marluxia didn't know whether looks mattered to their kind, but assuming that they did, Luxord would have been well off.

…

Marluxia leaned over a bit, staring carefully at the Neko. He wasn't afraid of Luxord anymore, any threatening attributes he had didn't seem to matter anymore. Those sharp claws, although untrimmed, were never used in a harmful way. Luxord seemed to have some sort of control over how much energy he should use, and although he had hissed and had bared his claws at Marluxia before, he was sure Luxord was now incapable of such a thing. So Marluxia hovered a bit over the Neko, his eyes fixed on the off-white ears, tipped with just a bit of a light, creamy brown. If it weren't for the ears, he would look completely human right now. Perhaps it was just Luxord, or maybe all Nekos shared this trait, but the face seemed so human. He looked human. Sure, there was the tail, the claws, the shaper canines and those animal like impulses, but body wise; he was very human like. His expressions looked human enough…but perhaps it was only because he had no memory of the dangerous creature he truly is was the reason behind his gentle, human like nature. He could be human, if Marluxia cupped his ears he'd look like everyone else, only with very light hair and…

It was then Marluxia realized that he had been staring at the Neko for far too long. He shook his head, scolding himself as he reminded himself what was and what was not appropriate. He felt his face tingle a bit as he thought about it, and then desperately tried to remove all remnants of the thought from his mind.

There was nothing wrong with liking certain things…aside from the norm, so long as you keep quite about it. He knew well enough that his father had mistresses, and his mother had escorts, having only shared a bed till he was conceived.

He knew there were women who chases after other women, and mean who did the same, but such things were highly looked down upon in the public's eye, more so than anything else. He was sure there were those who secretly committed the acts, but it was behind closed doors…tightly closed doors that had been double locked. There were very few things worse than _those _kinds of acts…

And here he was; thinking taboo thoughts about a creature that wasn't even human. What had compelled him to do such a thing? He knew better than to think about other men, years of tolerance had taught him to keep his eyes away and his mind farther, so why did he think-

Marluxia looked back at the Neko, frowning at the sleeping figure as he wanted nothing more than to blame him for what had just happened.

He found himself glued to the Neko again.

Marluxia really didn't have any feelings for Luxord, aside from the small relationship they shared. He liked Luxord…but not in the way that would make him have thoughts, although brief. He knew the Neko was kind, listened to what he was told, respecting and soft-spoken…at least for now he was. He could be a bit rambunctious, and he did like to play games, and Marluxia knew he could be angry and exert power when he wanted. But Luxord saw him as a friend, so Marluxia figured that was what they were.

Friends.

But…Luxord was a _Neko_.

And he was a human.

Luxord didn't know any better, and technically there were _those kinds of slaves._

No…he couldn't do that. What kind of man would he be to take advantage of someone with amnesia? And to take advantage of someone who depended on him?

And what would that say to those who knew about him? Aerith wouldn't approve of such a thing…and it wouldn't be good should something like that reach the public.

Marluxia sighed, flopping himself back on to the couch. He heard a small moan come from Luxord, and stiffened up when he felt a bit of movement next to him. He glanced to his side, watching Luxord move to his side, exposing his long tail as he curled up a bit, still deep asleep.

It wasn't until Marluxia was sure Luxord was still out did he finally relax. The last thing he wanted was to wake up the Neko, and have to deal with Luxord, all while having to deal with all these stressful thoughts. He shouldn't have to worry about Luxord….Larxene should be the only thing on his mind right now.

"Maybe I should give her a try," Marluxia muttered, sinking into the couch as best as he could without bothering Luxord. "Pray to the good lord that she gives me a son on the first try…"

The very thought depressed Marluxia even more.

"Of course, I doubt she'll be the loving, ignorant wife that'll let me do as I please," he continued, talking to no one in particular.

Marluxia looked over to Luxord, blinking a few times before looking away again.

"I bet you have someone waiting for you, back at home," Marluxia murmured. "Probably not a wife, but surely someone you care for…maybe children. Someone your age, you must have at least one litter of young…"

Marluxia turned his head again, once again looking at the sleeping Neko.

He looked…human enough. Enough for him to use the word handsome…

Was that a bad thing? Marluxia leaned over again, his head hovering over Luxord. Carefully, he let his hand out, letting it touch the tip of Luxord's ear. His hand backed away as Luxord's ear twitched, but as he was sure Luxord wouldn't wake from it, he let his hand cover the soft, furry, ear, cupping it from view.

He stared at Luxord, analyzing the differences…what little there were.

…so, if he were human, would he be considered handsome?

Marluxia looked closely at Luxord's facial features, making out a few physical traits that he hadn't really noticed before. But he wasn't given enough time to look long, blue eyes lazily opened and stared tiredly at him.

Marluxia felt his heart stop as he realized he had been caught in the act. He was way too close to Luxord to be considered decent or acceptable, and Luxord would know there was something off about checking someone out while they were resting.

So, what was he going to do?

In a state of panic, the first thing that came to mind was the very fact that he had been, in fact, caught. He was in trouble. And it wasn't like he could get into more trouble, right? The whole reason he had done this was out of curiosity and after this he would surely not venture again, seeing that Luxord would have said something by then…

So, since it obviously didn't matter anymore, Marluxia reacted in the only way he could, by continuing where he left off. Much like a child who knew he was going to be punished anyway, Marluxia figured there was no real point in stopping where he was. After all, despite the fact that Luxord was just a Neko, and that any feelings that could be mustered between the two would be anything but mature, Marluxia wanted to experience that one little thing that had always bothered him, that one physical act that he wouldn't dare commit on his own for the longest time, until now.

He kissed Luxord.

On the cheek, of course. Anywhere else would have been too forward an impolite.

And as soon as Marluxia did this, he pulled away from Luxord, getting up on his feet and looking down at the Neko in absolute fear.

He would have been lying if he had said he didn't feel anything from the kiss. No, it didn't feel magical or awe inspiring, but there was that shot of excitement, as well as that feeling of normality. It wasn't like Marluxia knew he was kissing a male, or a Neko for that matter. It wasn't worth the punishment he was about to receive though…

…

…

…that he was about to receive?

Luxord continued to stare at him, though the tired look was replaced with what appeared to be slight irritation. And not for the reason Marluxia first though, as he then saw Luxord lift a hand up and touch his ear, an annoyed look on his face as he rubbed it. Marluxia felt a sickening sensation rise as he Luxord's glare continued to lock on to him, and he was sure Luxord would react sooner or later.

But he didn't.

The glare continued, but only for a few moments.

Luxord's expression soon softened as he got himself comfy again, and soon dozed off, leaving Marluxia standing there in absolute bewilderment.

Of course Marluxia refused to believe that he had gotten away with assault, having known that in any other situation, he would have gotten himself in a great deal of trouble. He had just kissed another without permission, and that alone would have had terrible consequences, add the fact that Luxord was a male, and not even human…

But Luxord hadn't done a thing!

He had glared, but not for the reason Marluxia figured he would. No, Luxord was more upset at Marluxia for messing with his ears than anything else. The kiss didn't seem to even faze him.

Marluxia huffed, his head feeling awfully light as the world seemed to spin around him.

But he took advantage of this wondrous moment and made haste to get himself out of the area, should Luxord wake up and realize what had happened.

On his way he noticed the letter lying on the floor, he picked it up. Marluxia stared bitterly at the words written down and for a moment, his eyes lingered over to the sleeping Neko.

He really wished he had just talked to Luxord, rather than kiss him.

Marluxia crumbled the letter in his hands before throwing it to the flames, watching it burn as he gritted his teeth together in frustration.

He was angry. Angry at Larxene, at Aerith, at this whole damn mansion!

And he was angry at Luxord too. How dare he not say anything? How dare he not even give a reaction to it…?

…

Marluxia stomped out of the room, making sure to slam the door shut and wake up the Neko in the process.

* * *

"I thought you asked me to write a letter to Vexen," Aerith said as she hovered above Marluxia's shoulder.

"I thought I asked you to go busy yourself somewhere else," Marluxia hissed through his teeth. He pushed Aerith away from him, "don't read over my shoulder, it's rude!"

Aerith lifted an eyebrow, staring at Marluxia with a rather interested expression. She smirked, walked over to the table and leaning over it, staring curiously at the letter.

"You know, for a man who makes a big deal about doing the simplest of chores, you sure do seem rather involved in that letter," Aerith laughed. "What, did he send another note over the night?"

"No," Marluxia said defensively.

"You can't lie to me," Aerith said, the same smirk still on his face. "I've known you far too long…"

"Why don't you go and read a book or something," Marluxia asked. "Better yet, go out and check to see if Lu-"

Marluxia trailed off, not finishing the sentence.

"You don't think he's causing some sort of problem, do you," Aerith asked, not noticing the strained expression on Marluxia's face. "You need to have more faith in him. If you hung out with him more you would see that he's actually quite mature…"

Marluxia nodded his head, though he wasn't really paying attention to what his friend was saying. He was too far involved with what he was writing down. He didn't want Vexen to think there was anything suspicious going on, more than what Marluxia was letting on. And it was hard…especially since he wanted nothing more than to ask Vexen a bunch of questions that revolved around Luxord.

He hadn't slept much last night. All he could think of was why he had reacted, while Luxord just lay there. It wasn't like he was feeling love sick, or that he wasn't grateful for getting away with kissing another of the same sex, but it bothered him that Luxord didn't even bat an eye at his action.

Did Luxord really forget…?

But then, kissing was only something of value if you knew what it represented.

And what did Luxord know?

But if he did know, how would he have reacted?

"Aerith," Marluxia said suddenly.

"Yes," Aerith asked.

"I'm…feeling bothered right now," Marluxia said, looking over to his friend. "Really…really bothered."

Aerith nodded her head.

"Larxene wrote a letter, I got it last night," Marluxia then added, looking away from Aerith. "I think she may be hinting at a possible relationship…"

Aerith's smile faded, "and how do you feel about this?"

"Trapped," Marluxia said. "I can honestly say I wasn't expecting this…"

"You're getting older," Aerith said. "Surely you understand it was only a matter of time before you had to take a women's hand in marriage." she let a hand rest on her shoulder. "It's part of your role…"

"I know," Marluxia said. "But you know…I'm everything but eager to partake in such a thing, even if it is my job to do so."

"Larxene is close to your age," Aerith said with a hopeful smile, "and you two were close as children, if I do recall correctly."

"She was sweet when she was young and innocent," Marluxia said, "but now…she's cold and cruel."

"A perfect match," Aerith joked.

"As I said before," Marluxia said in a serious tone, "I' got nervous…and now…"

Marluxia couldn't bring himself to tell Aerith what he had done. He knew Aerith well enough to know she would not judge him, but he was still rather scared.

"It's alright," Aerith said. "You need some time to think…I understand."

Marluxia nodded his head, though deep inside he was disagreeing. He wanted to talk to Aerith, he wanted to confess everything to her and he wanted to hear her say it was alright then. But he couldn't tell her. Not after saying what he had said about Luxord long ago. She would smile, but deep inside she would judge him and think lowly of him. She just wouldn't understand.

Which was why he had to ask Vexen…

"Aerith," Marluxia said.

"Yes?"

"You may leave now," Marluxia said, his eyes lowering down to the few sentences he had written.

"I understand…"

Marluxia kept his eyes glued to the parchment below him, thinking to himself as he listened to Aerith walk out the door. He suddenly felt the urge to stop her, but refrained from doing such, only calling her out by name.

"Aerith," he asked again.

"Yes," he heard say from behind.

"Can you bring… Luxord over here," he asked, feeling his chest heave with nervousness. He waited for only a few second before hearing Aerith comply with his demand, saying she would look around for him. Marluxia nodded his head, thanking her in the most professional tone he could muster without sounding too odd.

…

…

After about twenty minutes of staring at the same sentences, rereading them over and over again until his mind had the words memorized by heart, he heard footsteps behind him, though just barely.

"Marluxia," Luxord asked, entering the room.

Marluxia heard the curiosity in the Neko's voice, obviously wondering why he had been asked over to his office. After all, he pretty much let the Neko do what he pleased, only speaking to him whenever the two met up, or when Luxord came to him on his own accord.

"Luxord," Marluxia said in an overly cheery tone, getting up from his seat and placing a smile on his face. He walked over and greeted the blonde, making sure Luxord wasn't giving him any strange looks or acting differently around him.

For the most part, Luxord appeared to be fine, smiling back at him, his tail swishing from side to side in a rather soothing matter. He wasn't upset. Either he didn't remember what had occurred last night, or he really didn't know what was going on.

That, or didn't bother him.

"So," Marluxia asked, his voice a bit strained, "how are you feeling this morning?"

"Well," Luxord said, the eased smile on his face making Marluxia even more anxious.

"Really," Marluxia said, looking away for a brief second. He took a deep breath and calmed himself as he continued on the conversation. "Sleeping on the couch didn't bother you?"

Marluxia anxiously waited for Luxord to react in some way, but Luxord didn't seem fazed at all.

"I woke up later in the night," Luxord said in a rather casual tone. "I eventually went back to my room…it didn't bother me though…"

"Nothing at all," Marluxia asked.

Luxord's ears perked up a bit, his expression changing just a bit as he eyed Marluxia.

"I…don't think so," he muttered.

Marluxia bit his lower lip. So…did Luxord simply not recall what had happened? He was asleep, perhaps he was simply too tired to remember what had happened.

"Are you alright," he heard Luxord ask.

Marluxia looked at Luxord, shocked that he had asked the question.

"What," he asked.

"You seem…upset," muttered Luxord. He walked over and leaned in on Marluxia, making the pink haired man feel a bit rushed. "Is something wrong?"

"No…I, it's rather complicated," Marluxia said. He pushed the Neko away from him, no longer feeling comfortable around his presence. "I doubt you would understand a word of it. Trust me…"

Luxord frowned.

"Is it about Aerith," he asked.

Marluxia's eyes widened.

"No! No," he said, 'heaven's no!" He shook his head, placing a hand on Luxord's shoulder. "Trust me; you would know if she was upset…you'd hear her from a mile out if I had upset her in any way."

Luxord slowly nodded his head, though he seemed more confused now.

"Look," Marluxia said, "I just wanted to see if you were fine…that's all."

That didn't help. Luxord looked even more puzzled and worried.

"I…I just feel bad about what happened," Marluxia added on.

"I'm getting over it," Luxord said. "You've offered me so much…"

"No, not that," Marluxia said, interrupting Luxord. "I don't mean your situation. I mean…what I did last night."

Luxord continued to stare, his blue eyes almost piercing into Marluxia's. It made him feel more uncomfortable, almost threatened by the Neko. He felt rather guilty about the whole ordeal and wondered whether or not it would be the right thing to do and explain himself to Luxord. Surely he would be forgiven by Luxord. And unlike Aerith, Luxord was sure to be much more understanding. He knew nothing about the complexities that were the real world… it would be easy to explain.

"That," Luxord then asked.

Marluxia paled a bit.

"I," he said, looking away, "it was a spur of the moment…"

"It's quite alright," Luxord said, shaking his head.

Marluxia went silent.

"Others in the mansion have done it before," Luxord then added. "They'll ask if they can feel them or touch it and-"

"Luxord, what in god's name are you talking about," Marluxia asked. He was pretty sure Luxord was not on the same page as him.

Luxord pointed to his pointy ears and tail. He smiled, "it's alright. I'm getting a bit used to it. Though, I'd rather you not press against them while I'm trying to sleep."

Marluxia felt his face rush with heat.

"I was talking about the kiss dammit," he hissed angry, causing Luxord to quiet down and take a step back. He saw the Neko cower a bit, his ears lowered and eyes looking at him with what could best be described as fear, and Marluxia felt even more guilt grow in him. It wasn't Luxord's fault…

Marluxia sighed.

"I…kissed you," he then said. "And…I'm sorry." He saw that Luxord's position hadn't changed and groaned a bit. "Calm down, Luxord, I overreacted."

Luxord slowly nodded his head, and then relaxed himself a bit, he took a stoop closer to Marluxia, though he acted rather cautious as he did.

He then frowned.

"…kiss," he asked.

"Two lips pressed together," Marluxia said in a stoic tone. He took a deep breath. "I shouldn't have done that…to you. It wasn't right of me to do so."

"It's…a bad thing," Luxord asked. "Or is it something else?" He looked down. "I'm sorry…I just don't-"

"Understand,' Marluxia said. "I know….that's why I probably should have not done so."

Luxord lifted his head up, carefully watching Marluxia.

Marluxia stared back, not wanting to explain what it meant. He just wanted Luxord to forgive him and be on his way. He couldn't even explain what a kiss was, other than giving the obvious.

"They're just something…special," he said. "And I did it for the wrong reason, kissing you, that is…"

"Special," Luxord asked, crossing his arms.

"What two people do when they care about each other," Marluxia said, regretting his words as they exited his mouth. "And I did it out of curiosity…"

Luxord just stared, his expression rather blank,

Marluxia couldn't think of anything to say, so he just sat himself down and buried his head in his arms. He felt a bit relieved that he had told Luxord, but at the same time he hated himself for it. He had admitted that he had kissed him…surely Luxord would react negatively.

…

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Luxord chuckled.

"I'm not human," he muttered. "Is that why you kissed me?"

Marluxia looked up and glared angrily at Luxord.

"You're supposed to be angry at me dammit," he said. He got up from his seat. "Don't you see? I kissed you…you're not supposed to be happy about something like that…"

"You said it was something two people did when they cared about each other," Luxord said. "Why would I be upset about that?"

Marluxia took a deep breath.

"Because we're both men," he confessed, his heart skipping a beat as he did. "That's why, Luxord."

Marluxia leaned himself against the table, a hand covering his face as he waited for the next stupid thing to come out of Luxord's mouth. He was no longer bothered by the fact that Luxord didn't care, figuring that he was just too naïve to grasp the real reason behind it all. The only bright side was that he was able to explain himself, though it didn't work out as well as planned.

An even longer gap filled the two, and silence dragged on for what was like an eternity to Marluxia. And as it passed, he became more and surer that what he had thought before was wrong. Luxord was really thinking about it. He was adding the pieces together. Aerith was right about him. Luxord wasn't dumb. Marluxia grit his teeth as he waited on, desperately waiting for Luxord to just say something.

And he eventually got it.

"…Marluxia," Luxord said.

"Yes," Marluxia said, his hand still covering his face.

"I'm not angry at you," Luxord said, his voice rather calm.

Marluxia peered over and stared tiredly at Luxord. He could see the other's serious expression, staring back at him with those piercing blue eyes.

"You don't have to be so upset now," Luxord said, smiling a bit.

"…do you understand what I've said to you," Marluxia asked, still a bit unsure whether Luxord was really grasping on to what was going on. "You do realize what I've told you, right?"

"I do," Luxord said. "And…I don't see why I would be offended. At all." He crossed his arms, closing his eyes for a moment. "I just…don't see why I would have to be…" He opened his eyes and stared at Marluxia, "I normally have this feeling that I rely on…and it tells me whether something is good or not."

"Instincts," Marluxia said. "That's what it's called Luxord."

"Yes, well, it tells me what I can or cannot do," Luxord pointed out. "And…I'm not getting a real feeling that what you did was bad…"

Marluxia's eyes widened.

But…that made no sense. According to what he had been taught, nature condemned such acts…and here Luxord was saying otherwise?

"Are you alright, Marluxia," Luxord asked. "You look a little strange…." Luxord placed his hand in front of the man, waving it up and down, trying to get his attention.

"Luxord," Marluxia muttered.

Luxord immediate lighted up as soon as he saw Marluxia return his gaze.

"You know what it means, right,' he asked. "Kissing…what it means…?"

"Something special," Luxord replied. "Something two people do…when they care about each other. That's what it means?"

Marluxia smiled.

"Right, he said.

Marluxia grabbed Luxord's wrists, holding it tight within his grasp. Luxord looked down, a look of confusion on his face as he stared at his captured limb. He returned his attention back to Marluxia, a confused look spread across his face, this one more lost than before. Marluxia only smirked as he pulled the Neko closer, not making sure that the door was properly closed or that anyone may be around as he pulled Luxord close to his face.

"Tell me how this feels," he whispered to the blonde.

Frightened blue eyes stared back at him, not sure where this was leading to. Marluxia would be sure to wipe away that silly ignorance Luxord suffered from…it was becoming rather annoying.

"What," Luxord asked.

"This," Marluxia answered, pressing his lips against the others in a rough kiss.

* * *

I spent a lot of time thinking about how Luxord would think, considering that there are certain things that do end up ingrained in ones mind. Things like rank, diet, sleeping patterns, etc, would eventually return to "normal", so the reason for the first half was so help establish that Luxord is a fixed creature, which will help a bit for the next chapter. Hopefully I'll have time to update one more time before the month ends. It wont be so long, mainly explaining a bit of Axel's side, but it will have more of these two, since it would be a bit mean for me to leave a cliffy like that.


	7. Petunia

So, after talking to my redhead sidekick (every awesome person (Harry and Roxas for example) has a red head sidekick), I've come to a decision, that, no matter how bad things get on this site, I will stick to it. Until the day come where I get bored of this site, I will be here posting stories, dammit.

In other news, this chapter takes place the day after Roxas bought Axel. Hence it's length. It's a bit of filler, but it helps fill in the "while Marluxia was doing this was Luxord, Roxas was…" plot hole. So, Aukoroku fans, enjoy.

* * *

-Chapter 7-

_When Axel woke up the first thing he realized was that he was chained in place. He stared up to the brown, worn ceiling, and began to panic, struggling to free himself from his bonds, but pain soon forced him to stop. His fingers felt hot and swollen, so much that moving them around drove him crazy. His neck felt compressed, something around it, also forcing his head down. He could only lift his head a few inches making it difficult to look around and figure out where he was. Further struggling told him his legs were free to move around, though not much since the tip of his toes seemed to ache in pain as well. He couldn't see why this was so, and it only frustrated him more. Axel tried desperately to remember what had happened to get him here, but it all seemed so hazy. He was tired, sore, and was suffering from lack of nutrition. He hadn't eaten while he was with those strange, cloaked men…._

_Things were beginning to look grim._

_He felt his throat tighten as he wondered if, perhaps, this was it. He closed his eyes, trying to fight away the fear and pain, but then heard the sound of someone walking over. His eyes darted over to where the sounds of footstep were coming from, he looked over to his side, seeing a shadowing slowly casting over him. He looked up, his green eyes full of fear as he saw a stranger hover above him with strange items in one hand, and a huge knife in the other. _

_With ought a second thought to it, Axel began to struggle again, his body racking in pain as he tried to free himself with no avail. The man above him kept on staring, just waiting patiently…_

_He closed his eyes as he began to feel his skin cut against the hard, cold restraints, feeling warm blood trickle down his wrists and ankles. He felt his head spin around as he felt himself grow weaker; the combination of cold, malnutrition, and exhaustion was sinking in._

_He continued to move around, trying to keep himself away from the large hands that were now grabbing him. He breathed heavily, his body numbing…_

_It was torturous._

…

Axel stared at the table, littered with plates and dishes of what axel assumed to be food. He had never seen food prepared in such a way before, but the smell each plate emitted told his stomach it was.

Despite the wonderful smell, Axel walked away from the table, his eyes darting around the unfamiliar surroundings. He hadn't the slightest clue where he, only knew he was now inside some sort of huge structure. And although he would love to just relax and eat, he needed to focus on what was more important; his life.

It was warmer inside the room he was in, much warmer than where he was before. Of course, Axel could only be so thankful as he desperately tried to figure out how he go here, as he had passed out and had only woken up not too long ago. The big, clear through walls were locked, and he couldn't break through them to get outside. And from what he could see, there didn't seem to be any other way out. True, there were two, silent humans blocking what appeared to be a section of a different colored wall, but Axel couldn't figure out why. He was far too afraid to approach them on his own, especially since he felt so weak. He just wanted to know why he was here.

Axel looked down and stared at his long fingers, frowning at their appearance. He had wondered why his hand hurt so much, well he had the answer. His claws had been cut down, down to wear his fingertips ended. It hurt quite a bit to use his fingers…and what made it worse was that Axel didn't know how it would affect him later on, considering he needed claws to do the simplest things…

Since he was free from his bonds, Axel was able to feel the tight material that was around his neck. It wasn't made from hard, stiff, cold material like the restraints he had one before, but from leather. From what he could feel, there was something that was bulging from the back; a ring of some sort, and that was made from something extremely hard.

It was a collar.

Axel stared helplessly into the small fire burning in the fireplace, breathing hard as he tried to calm himself down.

He let his eyes wander to his side, staring at the bandages that covered him.

There just had to be a way out of here…

He suddenly heard a sound from behind him, and he immediately turned around to figure out what strange noise had been produced.

Axel stared where the two men once stood, seeing that both men had moved aside to let a much younger member in the room. Of course, Axel immediately noticed that the strange wall opened up, and led to a long hallway for him to escape to.

But then there was the boy…

Axel's eyes widened as he stared into the familiar face he had seen yesterday, when he had been restrained by the two cloaked men.

And there he stood. That same smile on his face, those blue yes leering at him with the utmost curiosity. Axel sneered at the boy, remembering the words being shared between him and the men. It was all beginning to make sense now.

This…_child…_bought him.

The very thought was so hard for Axel to wrap his mind around. Why did everyone look to this boy with respect? He didn't appear to be strong, nor was he old enough to carry some wisdom with him, and yet this child had the power to go and purchase him as if he were some sort of property? It just made little sense to him.

The boy walked down, his eyes now looking away from Axel and over to the table full of delicacies.

"You didn't eat," he asked, turning back to Axel. "But surely you must be hungry?"

Axel remained silent, his body slowly hunching over as he glared back.

"I'm quite sure you understand me," he continued, walking over to where Axel stood. "So let me start by saying that attacking me will do you no good…unless you want to die, that is."

Axel sneered, exposing his sharp canines at the blonde.

The boy remained rather calm about the predicament, only rolling his eyes a bit.

"I've got a gun," he said, "I'm not afraid of you…on the contrary, I find you quite interesting, really."

When he took another step to the redhead, Axel hissed.

"Do you know what a gun is," Roxas asked. "You should…you were shot."

Axel looked down at the bandages and then back up to Roxas. A gun had done that? He recalled the pain, the shock of it all…and a weapon had done that? But how did it…

Axel wasn't sure whether he could believe the boy or not, but he was sure the last thing he needed was another hole in his stomach. He didn't like the idea of exposing himself, but it didn't seem like he had much of a choice in the matter. Axel straightened himself up, breaking away from his defensive position.

The boy smiled.

"That wasn't very hard now, was it," he said, still smiling to Axel. Of course, Axel knew better than to reply, not that the blonde cared. The boy the pointed to the table. "How's about you take a seat? There's something I would like to discuss with you."

Axel stared silently at the table. He then shook his head.

"Just relax," he said. "I really do mean you no harm…I just want to talk with you."

"Is that why you had me tied down in some dank little room," Axel hissed at the boy. His green eyes leered angrily at the boy. "No harm…don't lie."

The boy's eyes widened a bit

"Well," he said, "nice to hear something from you, aside from a hiss. Even if it has to be that." He walked past the Neko and sat himself down, then proceeded to pull a strange shaped object from his jacket and placing it on top of the table. "Here's my gun…I'm not going to hurt you."

"That's a gun," Axel asked, his eyes locking on to the strange weapon. It was so small…it looked like some sort of twisted club…

"Yes," he answered. "Now, sit yourself down and eat."

Axel leered down at the table.

He was hungry…starving.

Well, he was being asked, and the boy had said that he had no other weapon on him, so Axel figured he might as well do what he was told. Perhaps he would find some answers to all the questions he had.

So Axel sat himself down on the chair, taking notice on its strange and unfamiliar design, never having seen a chair, as well as one so elaborate, in his life. The boy only continued to smile, watching Axel with much curiosity.

Axel looked down, staring at the different plates full of colorful foods and treats. He felt his guard diminish as he felt his hand suddenly wrap around what he figured was fruit.

"So…what's your name, Neko," he then asked.

Axel raised his head, breaking eye contact from the food, and stared at the boy with a confused face.

"A what now," he asked.

"You're name," the boy asked.

Axel frowned.

"…my name's Axel," he said cautiously.

"Axel," the boy said, "that's a very exotic name…you really are from the great forest…"

Axel's face remained just as cautious, despite not understanding a word that boy was saying.

"Ah, but where are my manners," the boy said, shaking his head. He lifted himself up from his seat and offered his hand to Axel. "Hello, Axel," he said in a rather delighted tone. "My name is Roxas, and I am lord of this mansion, as well as the land."

"Lord…" Axel shook his hand. "You're just a kid! There's no way you can be leader of any territory."

Roxas frowned, sighing just a bit as he did.

"Axel, there is a lot you obviously don't understand about the world outside your home," Roxas said, letting his hand back to him. "And I'll have to remember this for future references…but understand this; I am the heir to the Ralene family throne, and I do have quite a bit of power."

"Enough to forcefully purchase me," Axel asked snidely.

Roxas smirked.

"You were bought legally," Roxas said.

"Bull," Axel hissed. "You can't just buy someone…that's just…just…"

"Unheard of," Roxas asked.

"Yes," Axel answered. "I've never heard of such a thing…" he shook his head, his hand scratching at it. "It goes against the others well."

But Axel," Roxas said, "here, things like that happen everyday. We capture your kind and sell them into slavery…"

"Why," Axel asked. He looked down, staring weakly at his hands. "Why me…and what do you mean by our kind?"

"You're a Neko," Roxas answered. "We've used your kind for easy, cheap labor for years."

Axel's jaw dropped.

"It's always been that way," Roxas said, looking away from the Axel. "As it is now. You're a slave, a piece of property." Roxas walked over to Axel, his hand grabbing the tight restraint on Axel's neck. "This collar here shows everyone that you belong to me…in case you should ever escape."

Axel pushed the boy away, earning the guards in the room to walk over and surround him. Roxas shooed them off, his blue eyes staring heavily at Axel.

"You know," he said, "you're very lucky, Axel."

"I don't see how," Axel spat.

"Most people wouldn't be willing to pay much for a wild Neko," Roxas said, walking up to the angered redhead. "Especially a male your age. Too much time would have to be spent on training you."

"Training me?" Axel laughed.

"Laugh all you want," Roxas said, "but the back of my garden has a shed full of whips, chains, and other assortments that are used to keep your kind in line." He sighed. "But, of course, I won't be using any of them on you…"

Axel looked up and stared at the boy.

"You see," Roxas said. "I didn't buy you in order to have you work with the other servants." He paused, looking out the window for a few seconds before looking down to Axel. "No, you're my Neko, not my sisters…so I'll be using you for very different tasks." Roxas smiled. "I'll make sure you're comfortable here…"

"I don't want to be here," Axel exclaimed. "I need to go! My friend is out there, and I need to find him!" Axel's hand slammed down on the table. He winced a bit from the pain it brought, but he kept his gaze to the young boy. Surely Roxas would understand this…the closest thing he had to family was out there, somewhere… "I have to…"

"Axel," Roxas said, in a rather calm matter, "you do realize that, most likely, the same fate you are currently undergoing is probably the same fate your friend is sharing as well."

Axel's eyes widened.

"If not," Roxas continued, "then he is most certainly dead…Hunters have been known to kill."

The blonde looked down at the Neko, staring at Axel's horrified expression.

"Axel…"

"Get out," Axel said, getting up from his seat.

"What," Roxas asked, not understanding what the Neko had asked.

"Get out!" Axel hands tightened into tight fists. He may not have had his claws…but he still hovered over the boy, and he although he was hungry and tired, he was confident enough that he could get the boy out of this room without too much effort.

Axel could see anger and shock develop on the boy's face, and with that he felt a bit of retribution. Hoe dare that child say such a thing to him! He didn't care if he was to be a servant, he would not be taking orders from anyone but himself.

"Axel!"

"No," he yelled, his fist hitting the table. He hissed angrily at the boy, felling his throat tighten up as he tried to hide the fact that, in truth, he was extremely hurt. "Get…out…"

Roxas sighed, turning to the guards that were now at his side, one of them with a long staff pointed at Axel. He stared hard at Axel, frustrated that he couldn't get the Neko to listen to his words. If axel could, he would have laughed at the boy.

"At ease," Roxas said to the guards, the turned his attention to Axel. "And as for you…"

"What are you going to do," Axel asked in a half taunt.

"…nothing."

Axel's eye's widened just a bit. Had he heard that right?

"I have plans for you, Axel," Roxas said. "I do plant to fully utilize you…no matter what. So I'll leave you alone, in this room…your room, and I'll patiently wait for you to see things in a different view. Understand that you could be dead now, or be a slave to a cruel, heartless owner. But you're not, you belong to me, and for that you should be thanking me."

Axel hissed.

"So, I'll bid you farewell, and leave you alone," Roxas said, ignoring Axel's response, turning around and heading out the door. "When you're ready to talk to me one on one, just knock, and my guards will escort you. Till then, you're stuck here…"

Axel stood up straight as he saw the door close, Roxas and the two guards leaving him alone in this room.

Trapped.

Axel felt his heart race as he realized he was stuck in the room, the only way out being the door.

He groaned, shaking his head. The sadness inside him diminished as hatred soon replaced him. He felt a small bout of energy and then ran over to the door.

"Heartless! What kind of person mutilates another and takes them as their own…just because they don't look the same! What kind of creature does that? You're heartless! You hear me? You are!" Axel screamed feverishly, feeling his head spin and his throat ache from his yelling. He slammed on the door, kicking and screaming the words until he felt too weak to. And, then, finally, he let himself sink, falling to the floor where he curled up and began to hopelessly sulk.

This really was it…

* * *

If that isn't a romamnce in the making, I don't know what is! Hope you enjoyed this short chapter, because the next one won't be. Now, time for me to get to _After Dusk_...


	8. Forsythia

An early birthday gift from me, to me. This whole chapter actually got rewritten. I added what would have been chapter nine into this chapter, and removed what I found to be a rather rushed romantic scene. Don't worry, there will be romance soon.

Anyways, a bit of explaination is needed for certain characters. Some of my characters aren't KH character, so I figured I'll go and give you their origins, so you can look them up later and learn more about them, if your curious enough to.

FFVI-Locke, Shadow

FFVII-Zack, Aerith, Angeal

FFVIII-Irvine

FFXIII-Balthier

* * *

-Chapter 8-

"_You want to explain to me why there's a wild Neko in one of our guestrooms," Larxene asked, glaring angrily at Roxas. _

"_It's…hard to explain," Roxas said, looking away from his older sister. He felt his face flush red as he tried to think of a decent enough explanation as to why he let a Neko take control of a room for three days. Even better, find an explanation as to why he let a Neko take control of a room, while offering him food and anything else he may have required, thus wasting time and energy serving the Neko while he should have been trying to find ways to get him out of the room. _

"_Roxas…."_

…

That was four days ago.

Roxas stared at the heavily guarded door, his face pale from lack of sleep and from complete exhaustion. Nothing was working the way he had planned it out. It was bad enough that his sister had arrived home in a bad mood; the situation with Axel had only made it worse. He managed to explain that he had purchased Axel; so technically, Roxas could allow him to do what he wanted, so long as it was in his own demand. Sure, Axel had locked himself in, and he was letting Axel stay until he decided to leave on his own accord, but Roxas wasn't going to tell his sister that. He couldn't risk the consequences…

"He's not eating," Roxas asked in astonishment.

"He's no longer accepting food," The guard muttered, shaking his head. "We've checked his room; he's letting it all go to waste."

Roxas frowned, his eyes glancing at the locked doors.

He had been hoping a few days alone in a room would make Axel want to leave. He didn't think he would lock himself in for so long…and now he was refusing to eat? What could that possibly mean?

And what was Roxas to do about this?

"Is he fine," Roxas then asked the guard.

"Hell if I know," the guard said, "the blasted thing won't say a word if you enter the room. He only stares. I wouldn't be able to tell if he were sick or not."

Roxas made another look to the double doors, his face filling with worry.

How long could Axel go without food? Nekos were sturdy creatures, but Axel was weak when he was bought. All this stress, and now he wasn't eating, this couldn't possibly be good for his already poor health. Roxas was sure Axel wouldn't last very long, alone, refusing to eat…

But what could he possibly do? Axel had shown him that he was more than ok with attacking. And even though his claws had been clipped down, he still had other means of forcing Roxas down. He was sure axel would attack him if he approached the Neko without given warning. Axel was obviously upset with him, and right now he was proving it.

"If he knocks on the door…"

"Take him to see you," the guard said hastily. "Yes, I know."

Roxas leered at the guard.

"Right…," he said unenthusiastically. "Look, just…make sure nothing bad happens to him."

Roxas sighed as he made his down to the lower levels of the mansion, thinking to himself as he tried to figure out what to do with his current situation. He couldn't very well Axel on his own, especially with his sister being in such a foul mood. He hadn't the slightest idea why she was so upset, and he knew better than to ask her what had gone over at Xaldin's. But she was upset, and there was no way he would leave Axel alone to feel her dreadful wrath.

He needed to find a way in…without putting himself in danger.

But how?

* * *

Aerith practically ran over to the front yard, not caring about soiling her boots with mud as she hurried over to the gate.

Luxord leaned against the doorway, watching her carefully as Aerith stopped at the front gate, greeting the man on the other side. He had never seen her so excited before, so happy and agitated. He leaned forward a bit, leering at the man with the package in his hands, handing it over to a very eager Aerith. Within a few moments she was back at the door, the small object in her hands.

Of course, Luxord couldn't help but ask. It wasn't everyday Aerith acted so bubbly.

"A notebook," Aerith explained.

The two walked down to the living room. Aerith was twiddling with the twine that was tied around the small package.

"From my fiancé," she then added, removing the string from the package and making her way through the thick, brown paper that covered it.

"Fiancé," Luxord asked.

"We're to be married this summer," Aerith exclaimed cheerfully. "Once he's finished with his mission."

"Married," Luxord asked, even more confused than before.

"We send each other letters in this notebook," Aerith went on, not taking notice of Luxord's obvious confusion. "Its how we keep in contact with each other while he's away on his Guardian missions, which can last up to months."

"Guardian?"

"I'm so excited, Luxord," Aerith said as she tossed the brown covering aside, leaving it to be picked up by someone else. "Oh, I hope he'll be coming back soon…I think you'd like him, Luxord. He's really sweet." Aerith stopped in her tracks, staring quietly at the small, worn, red notebook in her hands. Aerith smiled.

Despite not knowing a thing about Zack, what he was or what he did, Luxord could tell from the look on Aerith's face that he meant a great deal to her. She seemed memorized by the notebook, the very appearance of it drawing her in.

"I should mention you," she said suddenly. "So he won't be so surprised when he comes back…"

"Comes back," Luxord asked, though he wasn't expecting an answer from Aerith at this point.

"Of course," Aerith laughed.

Luxord was mildly surprised she answered.

"He lives right by," Aerith replied. "We'll be living together though, very soon."

"Here," Luxord asked.

"No, no," Aerith said, shaking her head. "Zack would go insane. He can't stand this place." She frowned. "He's never been one for the fancier sort of things."

"So…you'll be living with him?"

"Yes," Aerith replied. "It'll be for the best…Marluxia and Zack don't often meet eye to eye on certain matters…I can't ever imagine both of them under the same roof."

Luxord was surprised by this. Not so much that Marluxia didn't get along with someone else, but more the fact that it was never mentioned. If Zack wasn't wanted within the area, wouldn't Marluxia tell Luxord about this? Or was he that not important?

"Oh, look," Aerith said suddenly.

Luxord turned and stared at the now open book. There was a dried flower in it, one Luxord hadn't seen before.

Aerith removed the flower and held it up, smiling at it.

Luxord silently stared at the dried flower. Although there was no real value in it, he couldn't help feel there was some familiarity about it.

"…what did he write down," Luxord asked, his eyes still locked on the dried flower.

"Oh, right," Aerith said. She placed the flower back into the pages of the book, and turned the page. "It says; 'Dear Aerith…Angeal and I beginning to head back south soon. We're heading to Troga for one last mission, after that I should be free for at least another month or so, unless I'm needed for more work. I've collected enough money to easily purchase us a bigger home, should we decide to make a family sooner than we planned, if not then I figure we should make a visit to see your family back at Teladorne.'"

Aerith paused and turned to Luxord.

"Angeal is the man who adopted Zack," she said, pointing to the word on the page. "He's also a Guardian."

Luxord nodded his head, though he really didn't know what a Guardian was. He wanted to ask what it was, where were Troga and Teladorne, but withheld from asking.

"Let's see…," she continued, "right; 'I hope you're doing alright by yourself. Hopefully Marluxia is looking after you. I'll see to it that you won't have to work once we're married…'"

"Aerith?"

"…"

"Aerith," Luxord asked again.

"Hmm," Aerith asked, raising her head up and looking to the blonde. "I'm sorry…I…"

"You miss him," Luxord asked, frowning a little.

Aerith nodded her head. "It's been awhile since I saw him. And these letters, no matter how wonderful they are, really aren't enough."

Luxord felt a sinking sensation grow deep within him. A lonely feeling.

There was something missing. Luxord didn't know how it could be so, but he knew there was something missing right now.

No…not something…some-

"Aerith!"

Luxord lifted his head, turning to see Marluxia walking over to him and Aerith. He blinked a few times, taking not in the distressed look in his eyes.

"Aerith," Marluxia said again, not noticing the upset look in Aerith's eyes. "I need you to do me a favor. Remember how Vexen wrote that letter? I need you to…are you alright?"

Aerith nodded her head, her expression changing back to its regular, bubbly smile.

"I'm quite fine," she said, reassuring Marluxia. "What was it that you needed me to do?"

"Write a response…," Marluxia said, staring carefully at the young woman. "Make sure to not sound too nice…god forbid he find you I'm not properly responding to him."

"Of course," Aerith said, closing the book. She turned to Luxord and smiled. "I suppose we'll have to continue this later?"

"Right," Luxord said, putting a smile on his face. He wasn't trying to hide the fact that he was worried in front of either Marluxia or Aerith, but honestly was excited to talk to Aerith. Whatever she had with Zack…it brought on a strange feeling. Although he didn't know what it was, or why it made him feel so sad, he wanted to figure it out.

He watched Aerith hurry off, not noticing that Marluxia was rather close to him.

Luxord sighed.

"Is something wrong," Marluxia asked.

Luxord jumped, forgetting Marluxia's presence. Marluxia chuckled, crossing his arms as he stared at the blonde.

Luxord frowned at Marluxia, blushing just a bit.

"It's nothing," he lied.

"What were you and Aerith talking about," Marluxia asked, ignoring Luxord's comment. "You both seem rather…down." He paused, thinking quietly to himself. "What was that notebook in her hand?"

"Letters from a man named Zack," Luxord answered. "Aerith said he was her…fiancé." He looked to Marluxia. "What does that mean…fiancé?"

Marluxia smiled.

He walked closer to Luxord, the smile growing a bit darker.

"It means he's someone very special to her," he said, his hand resting itself on Luxord's shoulder. "They're in love, you see…and one day they'll be married to one another. They'll spend the rest of their lives with each other…and only each other."

Luxord looked over to Marluxia's hand, and then back to Marluxia. Marluxia leaned in, staring deep into the Neko's eyes.

"Now…what's got you all bothered," Marluxia asked.

Luxord tried to ignore the small length between him and Marluxia as he tried to come up with an answer.

"Your ears are lowered," Marluxia said, his other hand resting on Luxord's ear. "You're not very good at hiding your emotions…"

"…I don't think I can properly explain it," Luxord said, shaking his head. How could he explain what he had felt to Marluxia? It made no sense that something he hardly had an understanding of would make him feel something like this.

"Jealousy perhaps," Marluxia asked.

Luxord's eyes went wide with shock.

"No!"

Marluxia chuckled, "I'm kidding, and you're too good for that. Too ignorant…pure. I doubt you even know what those to share with one another." He removed himself from Luxord, "of course, you may be able to get a glimpse of it, perhaps even grasp it not too long from now."

"…"

"Does that bother you?"

"No," Luxord answered. He felt his face flush a bit. "I don't think…it can't be that."

"You're just confused," Marluxia said, "you'll come to understand things better with time."

Luxord nodded his head, though the sensation he was currently feeling wasn't leaving. It was a different feeling, not the same one he had felt when he heard Aerith talking about being alone. Luxord did what he could to ignore it.

"…I hope I will," Luxord muttered, looking down and away from Marluxia. "I don't like being left in the dark…"

"It'll take time," Marluxia said.

Luxord nodded his head, "I know." He looked over to Marluxia and smiled.

Marluxia smiled back, taking a step closer to Luxord.

"You know Luxord," Marluxia said, "You don't ever have to worry about being jealous. Your special in the eyes of many…mine only being one of them."

"Does that make me your fiancé," Luxord asked curiously.

"No," Marluxia said, his fading just a bit. "No, it doesn't. It's much more complicated than that…I don't think I could ever begin to explain such a thing to you right now…especially right now." A look of disgust grew on Marluxia's face.

"Is there something bothering you," Luxord asked, taking notice.

"A complication…about the night before," Marluxia said, the angered look still on his face. "I'm going to have to invite someone I dislike…and I'm going to have to cater to her ever whim while she's here."

"…if you don't like her, then why invite her," Luxord asked. The words just flowed right out of this mouth, without a given thought about what the consequences were.

Marluxia just smirked, "if only it were that simple…" He sighed, "Change of subject, Luxord…"

"…"

Luxord crossed his arms, thinking. He glanced over at Marluxia, his face flushing just a bit.

"Do Zack and Aerith ever kiss?"

Marluxia's expression went blank for a bit, and he looked away from Luxord as he tried not to show how embarrassed he was from hearing the question.

"…they do more than kiss…," Marluxia barely managed to cough out.

There was _more_ than just kissing?

Luxord remembered what had happened yesterday, and the night before that. He hadn't thought much about the first one, not really taking it as something special or something really worth remembering, but the second one was something he had a hard time taking his mind off of. Especially now.

It was just strange. His mind had bounced from one thought to the next, from one emotion to another. Perhaps it was because he knew what it meant at that time, but it made it act a lot more…meaningful. There was fear…surprise…excitement…none of that had occurred the first time he had been kissed. Was it because he had been kissed on the lips, because Marluxia told him what it meant, or something else?

And now there was more than kissing…

"You look more flustered than I do," Marluxia said.

"Huh…" Luxord shook it off. "I'm just surprised…"

"You won't be…not for long…," Marluxia continued, looking out the window. "As I said before…"

"When," Luxord asked.

"I said you would better learn to grasp it," Marluxia said. "And you will…trust me, when the time comes, you will understand the more mature side of love."

Luxord stared hard at Marluxia. What exactly did that mean?

"How so," he asked.

Marluxia continued to stare out the window, not really paying attention to Luxord's question. Luxord still stood where he was, waiting patiently for his answer. He knew Marluxia would eventually answer him, he always did. He just had to wait.

…

"Luxord," Marluxia said suddenly, still looking out the window.

"Yes?"

"You still feel the same, about what we did," Marluxia asked, leaning against the wall. He stared solemnly at Luxord. "Are you quite fine with that?"

Luxord didn't even need to think about the answer.

"Yes," he answered without a bit of hesitation.

Marluxia smiled, pushing himself from the wall and in front of Luxord.

"You'll learn," he said, answering Luxord. He let his hand lift up the Neko's face, his blue eyes meeting with Luxord's.

Luxord immediately felt his heart rush a bit as he stared into the two deep blue eyes, his lips tingling a bit s he felt Marluxia's lips meet with his. He felt that sensation grow a bit, then lower, and then he felt his whole self almost calm down, taking this act as though it were something normal.

And then he felt Marluxia's hands wrap around his waist, and that feeling of familiarity died out and was replaced with complete surprise. Marluxia removed himself from Luxord, his arms still around the Neko though.

"I'm going to have to ask that you try to refrain from making me commit these acts during the day," Marluxia said. "You don't want to get caught now, do you?"

"…ok," Luxord said, his tone a bit weak. He glimpsed sown at the hands that were securely wrapped around him. It didn't seem as strange as it had been a few seconds ago…it almost made him feel secure.

"Good boy," Marluxia said, releasing his grasp from Luxord. "We can't have people watching something inappropriate now, can we? These are nightly activities…private activities…"

Marluxia walked away from Luxord, breathing heavily as he walked over to the stairs.

"Come on…Aerith should be done by now," he said. "I believe she wants to talk about Zack with you and how wonderful he is…meh…"

Luxord let a finger to his lips as he followed Marluxia, barely paying any attention to what the man was telling him.

He liked this feeling…and because of it he couldn't help but wonder why Marluxia kept asking him whether or not he was comfortable with it? If something felt good…it was good, and good couldn't possibly be bad.

Could it?

"…knowing my luck, Zack will arrive right when she will," Marluxia continued on. Luxord lifted his head up and stared curiously at Marluxia.

"You don't like Zack very much, do you," he asked.

"…that, Luxord, is another complicated talk that will best be saved for later," Marluxia said, not even giving Luxord a small glance.

"When's later?"

"Hopefully never," Marluxia answered snidely.

"…"

* * *

The city of Troga was a huge capital, set right in the middle of the country. It was a city that was quite different from the others, being that not one of the six leaders had control over it. The city held its own set of laws, its own jurisdiction, court, and penalties. Despite not having the wisdom and support of a leader, it was quite well off, being the safest city in the whole nation. Tax was low, crops were plentiful, and trade was relatively good as well.

Of course, despite this, it had very few citizens, and for good reason. Should one ever visit the city, the first thing they would notice was the dark uniformed men and women walking the streets.

Hunters.

Yes, few people tolerated Hunters walking about in there villages, towns, and cities. So it was only natural that even less would tolerate living in a capital that contained the very organization. Thousands of scientifically enhanced humans wandered the streets, doing personal business…whenever they were going out on their many dangerous missions.

Demyx stared silently at the letter that he had opened, his eyes looking hard at the stats that had been written down for him. He hurried down the empty streets, making his way to the weaponry that was located at the very end of town. He didn't have a mission to do late this night, thank god for that, but he was hoping to check to see if a friend of his was there.

"I can't believe this," he muttered frantically, shaking his head as he stared at the numbers written down on the piece of paper. He looked up, spotting the huge building. Demyx shoved the letter into his pocket and made a quick dash into the building.

Demyx pushed the door open, hurrying over to the part of the building where he was sure to meet-

"Xigbar," Demyx shouted, looking around the premises. His eyes darted about, looking from one side to the next as he desperately tried to spot the Hunter in the shop. He walked around, turning this way and that way as he maneuvered through the crowded shop fill of sensitive, expensive weapons. "Xigbar? Xig? Xiggy?"

Demyx groaned, having passed by the same rifle three times in a row.

"What seems to be the problem, kiddo?"

Demyx turned around, facing the source of the accented voice. He faced the young, tanned an in front of him, frowning up at him.

"Irvine," he said, "have you seen Xiggy?"

"What, no hello," Irvine asked. He frowned, leaning on his long rifle. "Good to see you too, Demyx. Xigbar? Him? Nah, I believe he was sent out a few hours ago…why you askin?"

Demyx glanced at his pocket.

"I got a "CS" letter today," he muttered.

Irvine's eyes widened a bit. He pulled himself into a standing position.

"Your birthday's today," he asked, mildly surprised.

Demyx nodded his head.

"Well then, what's your current status," Irvine asked. "You any closer to buying your freedom?"

Demyx pulled out the crumpled up letter and handed it over to the sharp shooter. Irvine took it and straightened it up, and then began to look through it. Demyx watched as the older man's expression quickly changed to surprise.

"Impressive," he said with a smirk. He looked down to Demyx. "Well kid, you just may be a few years to buying yourself back from this organization."

"You really think so," Demyx asked hopefully. A small smile grew on his face.

"Yeah," Irvine said. "Give it five years or so, so long as you take good care of the weapons they give you, and you don't spend your earnings frivolously, you ought to be fine!"

The smile faded.

"What's the matter," Irvine asked. "You ought to be celebrating right now, not looking all down and what not! Come on, I'll get you a drink…"

"Oh," Demyx said, "A drink…I don't know…I'm not really feeling…" He shook his head.

"Come on," Irvine said. "You need it…"

"No…no, it's ok," Demyx said. "It's just that…"

"Just what," the older Hunter asked.

"It's just that there's nothing really worth celebrating right now."

Both Demyx and Irvine turned to see who had made such a comment. They spotted the young Hunter leaning against the corner, a small hand gun in his hands. He looked at the two, smiling a rather proud smile, it was almost offensive.

"Balthier…"

"You know it to be true," the gunner said, shrugging at the two. "Be honest…Demyx, you came here asking if you could get some help to buying your freedom, correct?"

"Well…," Demyx said. "Not-"

"I was correct then," Balthier said, removing himself from the corner, and making his way toward the two. "And then young Irvine here went on and said you would only have a short time left, so you got hopeful and figured…what, a year or two left slaving away for this organization?" He sighed, "But then you find out that you'll have at least another five years, and that's if you spend only on necessities. If you need funds to pay for hotels, hunting dogs, broken weapons…well, then I suppose you'll just have to add on more time, correct?"

"What's your point," Irvine asked.

"The point, my fellow comrade, is that I only have two years left here, at maximum," Balthier exclaimed.

"Impossible," Irvine said, "You're only twenty-two…nobody gets out that quickly."

"I'm aware of that," Balthier said. He turned to Demyx. "How old are you now? Twenty? I can assure you, there are ways of getting out earlier…perhaps by your twenty second?"

"Bullshit," Irvine said.

"…wait," Demyx said, looking to Irvine. "Maybe he knows…I mean, he only has a few years left here…and it couldn't hurt to figure out if there are any other options…"

"You're kidding…"

"Now, now," Balthier said, walking to Demyx. "Let the boy hear his options, he has a right to know."

Irvine rolled his eyes.

"So," Balthier said to Demyx. "You want to get out early, correct? Want a taste of freedom?"

Demyx nodded his head eagerly.

"Well, as you know, twenty percent of our earnings are kept by us, while the eighty goes straight to the Organization. So, it would take years for us to buy ourselves back, and this doesn't include that our prices vary depending on our usefulness and what type of chimera we are."

"I know that," Demyx said.

"Hmm yes, but did you know that they really don't care where the money some from, just as long as you pay them," Balthier asked. "You give them money, it goes straight to your freedom, no questions asked."

"What do you mean," Demyx asked.

"Yes," Irvine said, taking interest in the conversation "what do you mean?"

Balthier smirked.

"Piracy," he said. "You take extra chances at getting a bit of money, and use it towards your freedom." He removed himself from Demyx. "Stealing, smuggling, taking up a hostage or so…as long as you get the money, you'll be fine off." Balthier looked over to Demyx. "And it doesn't really matter what type of chimera you are, most people will be willing to comply with you out of fear. We get away with all sorts of things…so we might as well make it work fir us, am I right?"

Demyx paled. Stealing? He was not the strongest Hunter out there, by no means! How was he supposed to successfully get away with such a thing? Smuggling? He didn't even know what that meant!

"That's crazy," Irvine said.

"It's done all the time," Balthier said. "I spoke with Locke the other day…he made a killing smuggling a Neko over and selling it for a high price…I hear it was a wild one to boot."

"Now I know you're lying," Irvine said.

Demyx frowned.

"It can be done," Balthier said to Demyx. "A country like this one…I'm sure you can get yourself a Neko, or, even better, a child…hopefully one of rich heritage."

Demyx stared down.

Five years…at minimum…could he really wait that long?

He hadn't had much of a life…and he was hoping to start one of his own soon. He wanted nothing more than to be a regular human, to be free and do whatever he pleased, not having to go out on dangerous missions and wonder if he would make it out alive. Putting another person's life in danger…was it worth it.

"People…do it all the time," Demyx asked.

"Hunters? Of course," Balthier said, "but then you have your run of the mill humans as well, with their slave trade. You can try to steal one from them, or get yourself a Neko through other means…are you thinking about doing that?"

"I…" Demyx trailed off.

"If you're not currently doing a mission, now would be the best time to start your search," Balthier said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "If not, there's always the old fashioned way…"

Demyx sighed.

He really didn't have much choice in the matter. But then, if it was just a Neko…it wasn't like he was holding a human hostage or anything. He could probably make more with a human though…but it didn't seem right for him to abuse his powers like that.

"Demyx, you're not seriously thinking about this, are you," Irvine asked.

"…"

"Demyx?"

"I…I need to get my stuff," Demyx said, removing himself from the two. He hurried off, walking as fast as he could as he tried to think about what he would do.

"Stealing a Neko…"

Yes, this had to happen. If he ever wanted to get out of here he needed to act fast.

"But…I can't do this by myself…I need help," Demyx muttered. "Mabye Xigbar…"

…what would Xigbar say right now? Surely he would be against this, right? But then, Xigbar was nowhere close to gaining his freedom…and at his age too.

"What am I supposed to do?" Demyx whined, looking down as he tried to hurry out the building.

Perhaps this was something he ought to do without Xigbar knowing?

Oh what would he do?

"I don't even know how to steal a Neko!"

What would he do, what would he-

-Whump-

Demyx blinked, backing away as he let his hand cover his head, as well as rubbing it.

"Ow…." Demyx whined, closing his eyes from the pain. "What did I bump…?"

He opened his eyes and froze. He stared at two annoyed yellow eyes fiercely staring back at him in disapproval.

"Oh…s-sorry," he said.

He hadn't seen this Hunter around…what was his name again? He stared, utterly confused, at the blue haired Hunter.

"I…I uhm…"

"Stealing a Neko," the blue haired man asked. He raised an eyebrow, frowning at Demyx. "Smuggling is against the code that we are to abide to. Whether the Neko is property already or roaming about freely makes no difference in the matter…"

Demyx bit his lip, looking down as he desperately tried to keep control of himself and now beg for his life. Oh, he had been caught.

"I…I was just talking out loud," he said weakly. He looked up, staring at the older Hunter. "I couldn't do it…even if I wanted to…I would never…"

"Remember your place," the Hunter said, leering at Demyx. Demyx quickly nodded his head, biting his lower lip as he tried not to look any more pathetic.

"I will, sir," he said.

"Go to your station," the higher ranked Hunter said. "And keep such thought out of your mind. A Hunter of your rank and status could never get away with such an act…even if it were legal."

"Yes sir," Demyx said in a sulking matter. Without looking at the blue haired Hunter, he walked passed the Hunter, making his way out of the building. He made sure to not look back and check to see if the man was watching him.

…

…

What was he thinking?

The hunter was right. It was against the rules to do such a thing. Just because he could get away with it didn't mean he should do it.

Demyx sighed…

Stealing a Neko…he could never be caught doing such an act.

"Just wait till Xigbar hears about this," he muttered to himself, feeling his face heat up from embarrassment.

No…not ever…

* * *

So yeah...in case you forgot, this is also an adventure story. In case I forgot to mention, I plan for this to be a very long story, which means a lot of good fun going on. You'll learn mroe about Hunters later on, so for those who got curious, just be paitent. As for Guardians, you'll learn more about them soon.

Romantic scenes, that don't seem terrible rushed, coming soon!


	9. Red Poppy

Oh em gee. Something is finally happening.

But seriously, I love Marluxia. I love his relationship with Aerith, implying that he cares...but still makes her do the things he hates. I love that he is surprised by the fact that he has a heart in this fic, and I love that he isn't hideously out of character.

Oh, and special note to A D Williams; no Axel did not get de-clawed. Sorry for not answering your review. To de-claw would be to remove the whole nail, which would be a bit messed up, even for me. No, he has thick, long claws, and they were clipped down, causing pain since the nail does crve a bit and is thick, so being cut in a straight line would be painful.

* * *

Chapter Nine

_Luxord…_

_Dammit, how'd he find you? _

…_He's talking to you. _

_Try not to fall asleep, pay attention. _

_I'm thinking about leaving…_

_What?_

…_Why on earth would he do that? How could he come to such a conclusion? Wasn't this place good enough? Why would he leave…?_

_Would you be willing to come with me? _

_No. No, no, no! That's far too dangerous. Change his mind. Get him to see that this isn't a good idea, do something! Don't let him leave…_

_Don't let him leave…_

….

Luxord opened his eyes, blinking and staring into the darkness. He stared up, blinking a few times as he tried to recall where he was. He pulled himself up from his bed, a hand covering his aching head as he shook his head slowly.

What was that….a dream?

Luxord closed his eyes, trying to remember what he had dreamed about. It was all so blurry, he could barely remember what it was that he had dreamt in the first place. Luxord yawned, letting an arm move the veil that surrounded his bed. He glimpsed out the window, making out the dark sky.

It was very early…too early.

Luxord yawned again, shaking his head as he flopped back into the sheets. He stared up at the ceiling of the bed post, slowly recalling small bits of details that were from his dream.

Bright colors…yes that seemed to be the very first thing he could point out. So many bright colors; yellow, green, orange…so much of these colors. Where had he been? Where was this place?

Who was talking to him? Why couldn't he remember?

Luxord could feel another ache as he tried to remember more, but this time it wasn't his head. He looked down, feeling a strange sadness creep up on him as he tried to remember more about who he was with. He could recall the words…but the voice, as well as the person…it drew up blanks. And, for some reason, it hurt him.

…could it be that this was more than just a dream? Luxord frowned, curling up a bit as he tried even more to remember what he had dreamt. Why else did it cause him pain? It had to be, it just had to be.

Luxord, once again, cast the veil to the side, looking over to the door.

He needed to ask…no, it was too late for that. Aerith was either home or sleeping in a guest room, and it would be rude to wake her up. And he couldn't very well bother Marluxia this late at night either. No, he would have to ask either one of them in the morning…assuming he would remember by then.

Luxord hissed angrily. It was frustrating.

Would he remember what he had dreamt in the morning? What if he fell asleep and woke up forgetting the whole thing? Then again, what if he fell asleep and recalled the small memory, if it was actually a memory, again?

But what if it was? It bothered him so to think that he might lose such a thing so quickly if he were to do something as simple as fall asleep. The only way he could figure whether it was a real memory was asking someone who would know better…

Once again, Luxord's eyes were glued to the door.

It was, what he felt to be, a desperate plea. Surely Marluxia would understand, right? Something like this would not be taken lightly, considering his situation

Right?

Luxord moved over to the edge of the bed, grabbing the clothing that he had strewn onto the floor and dressed himself up. He kept making the occasional glances over to the door, a part of him worried about upsetting Marluxia, should he be asleep in his bed.

Luxord's feet touched the cool floor, and his senses instantly sharpened as he realized just how serious this was.

Too serious.

No…he just couldn't do this.

Luxord stood up, staring silently at the door. He knew better by this point that there were consequences to the actions he did…bothering Marluxia could do no good.

Well…what then? Was he really just going to stay awake and wait till morning arrived? Could he even pull that off without falling asleep?

Luxord sighed…did he have any other choice?

* * *

Axel stared dimly at the two locked doors in front of him. He leered, not blinking once, as he sat on the floor, his body leaning tiredly against the wall.

He could see the light leaking from the other side of the door…and from that, he could detect movement.

His body stiffened up as he watched the shadow move from side to side, pacing around the door. Axel listened carefully as he made out the sounds of the boots hitting the smooth flooring, barely capable of making out the mutters from the other side.

Axel glanced around the room, reminding himself that he was still trapped. The only way out was locked, and even if it wasn't he couldn't imagine him even taking that route. He wasn't about to bow down to some child…

…a child, how on earth could he belong to a child? It just made no sense. The very fact that someone could be bought and sold, like a common item…

Axel recalled the small bag in Roxas' hand. He remembered the boy handing the bag over to the dark dressed men, remembering how eager they were to take the small bag from him.

Was that money? That small bag? And was that all he was worth?

Axel tucked his legs to his chest, taking a deep breath as he tried to keep himself from sobbing.

It was cold, he was hungry and alone, but he would not budge from his spot. As far as he was concerned, there was no point to. Axel knew there was only two options open for him; slavery or death. Roxas had said that Luxord was either dead or in the same situation…but Axel knew better. The idea of being owned by another was just incomprehensible…and it was dishonorable as well. He couldn't imagine Luxord abiding to such a lifestyle, and Axel couldn't imagine him doing it as well.

It seemed the only thing that he could do was let the night take him away…perhaps fall asleep and never wake up…

It was a dreadful thought…and it did scare him.

Axel didn't want to have to give think such thoughts. But it seemed as though he was given a choice to live a life worse than death, or just choose death…

A few tears ran down his cheeks as he closed his eyes. What was he supposed to do?

* * *

"Roxas," Larxene said as she began to go through her wardrobe. "I know you've made plans to leave this place, and I support this idea of yours, but for the time being you'll be needed here."

"You're leaving again," Roxas said, staring at the many suitcase that were laying about her room.

She had only been home for a short time, and now she was getting ready tot leave again? And to where exactly? This seemed rather sudden…

"yes," Larxene answered. "and, no, that isn't the only reason you'll be staying here and postponing your little adventure. You still have that filthy little Neko running around." she dropped one of her dresses and crossed her arms, staring hard at Roxas. "you've yet to come up with a solution to fix that…"

"I'm doing everything I can," Roxas said tiredly. "You just need to give me a bit more time."

"Well, my patience is running low," Larxene said, "I want that thing outside with all the other Nekos, where he belongs."

"He's from the south," Roxas pointed out.

"And what does that mean," Larxene asked.

"He can't handle cold weather that well," Roxas answered.

Larxene frowned, "does it look like I care? He's dirtied one of our guest rooms, and now he's wasting food too! So far we've spent a good amount of money on a wasteful creature such as him!"

"Don't worry," Roxas said, "I'll have him out soon…"

Larxene rolled her eyes.

"If it makes any difference, he's not eating any food being sent to him," Roxas said in a rather snide tone. "So it's not like he's eating any of your precious food…"

Larxene glanced over at her younger brother as she continued to go through her wardrobe, hading her servants several articles. "Like I said before, he's nothing more than a waste of money. A wild Neko, and a male at that, does not belong in a nice place such as this…he'll only make things worse."

Roxas sighed. There was no pleasing this woman.

He looked over at the opened suitcases, watching as several servant girls tidied up the belongings and carefully placing them in the bags.

"Where are you going," he asked.

"I wish," Larxene said, giving a huge sigh. "No, I'll be heading over to Clathora…"

"A vacation by the beach," Roxas asked curiously.

"No," Larxene answered. "A visit. I'll be planning to meet up with Marluxia. I've business to attend with him." Larxene turned around and smiled at her brother. "I'll hopefully be gone for more than a week, if things do go well."

Roxas, for some reason, didn't find this too pleasing to hear from his sister. The idea of her visiting all these older mean bothered him. Sure, Marluxia and Larxene were close in age, but a long period with her spending time with a single man made him worry a bit.

"Can I ask why you'll be with him for so long," Roxas asked, his head looking down a bit.

"I figured it's been a while since the two of us had spent time with one another," Larxene answered. "We used to be rather close, but over the years we've grown apart. Seeing him at the meeting reminded me that at one time we were friends."

Roxas didn't feel much better after hearing this. Id he did recall correctly, Larxene mentioned him over dinner once, making a remark on his handsome looks.

Oh…dear.

"Are you alright," Larxene asked suddenly, "you look rather pale?"

Roxas looked up to see his sister's surprisingly concerned expression. He looked over to the door, figuring it was better to stay out of his sisters business. Whenever she did tell him what was going on, he felt upset, and if he bothered to pout his two cents in he would only get himself in trouble.

"I'll be going," he replied hastily, making a dash over to the door.

There was no way he could be truthful with Larxene. Many of her actions worried him, and because she was so different from the average high class woman, her ideas and actions made him worry for her reputation. He cared about his family name…and it would be a lie if he said she didn't have anything to do with it, but he loved her as well. No matter how cruel she may be, he wanted to make sure she was alright. He wanted her to feel less threatened by his presence, but the things she did made him so…so mad!

Roxas walked up the small fleet of stairs, hurrying to go check the room Axel had occupied for more than a week. It was early in the morning, the sun had yet to rise, and he was sure now would be a perfect time to sneak in and check on the Neko.

Perhaps Axel would be tired and weak enough to listen to reason. He knew it was beyond the creature's capability to just die. No animal wanted to die, it was within its instincts to want to live…and Nekos had very strong instincts.

…right?

Roxas stared carefully at one of the doors, his hand shaking just a bit as he let his hand reach for the doorknob. His other hand gripped the skeleton key in his pants. Would it be a good idea to just walk in? Or perhaps he should knock first.

Axel had attempted to attack him before, and violence towards others didn't seem to bother him so much. It didn't seem too crazy to think Axel may attack him now, even in his current state. If anything, he may with even more aggression.

So…was knocking a good thing or bad things?

Roxas let his hand hit the door lightly, making a soft sound. He hit it a few times, hoping it would be enough to warn Axel that he was coming in. Surely Axel knew what politeness was.

Roxas waited a few moments, waiting to get a reaction from the other sound. He heard nothing. No movement, no noise whatsoever.

"Axel," Roxas said, his heading leaning closer to the door.

Still no sound.

Roxas felt a brief burst of fear hit him in the chest. Was the Neko readying himself for an ambush?

The boy held his breath as he let the key into the keyhole, hoping to god that this wasn't the case. He held on to the knob, still holding his breath as he turned it slowly.

He peered into the dark room, trying to get a good look around and spot where the older Neko may be hiding. He could make out the table, seeing plates of neglected food, and he could see a few things tossed about, mainly furniture, perhaps as an attempt for Axel to find a way to escape. He was sure that if he saw the windows that they would be scratched or cracked from attempts…

Roxas opened the door more, a foot entering the room as he got a better look around the room.

Where was Axel?

Roxas groaned. He walked into the room, closing the door behind him as he looked around the dark room, hoping to find at least a silhouetted form of the Neko. He walked carefully, trying not to make too much noise, his head shifting from one side to the next as he looked around.

The room was a mess…Larxene would kill him.

But the worry of what his sister would yell and scream at him quickly passed as he then saw the Neko lying on the floor, his body curled up in a ball. Roxas' eyes went wide as he hurried over, getting down on the floor to get a better look at Axel.

"Axel?"

No answer.

Roxas bit his lip. He let his shaky hand rest on the cool body, hoping to get a heart beat from the Neko.

Please don't be dead…

Roxas felt a faint, but steady heartbeat emit from the Neko, and felt an instant rush of relief hit him as he did. Axel was still alive…

He stared down at the pale Neko, taking note of his sickly appearance. Axel wasn't doing very well at all; the lack of nutrition and high amounts of stress, plus the rather cold weather along with the emotional pain…it had added up.

Roxas frowned as he placed his hand on Axel's head, surprised to find it rather cool as well.

The boy wanted to panic. He wanted to turn to someone and ask what to do. Axel obviously didn't have much left in him…and the last thins Roxas wanted was for the Neko to die. But any servants that were still awake or in the house were probably with Larxene, and he doubted whether his sister would care of Axel lived or died.

What to do…?

Well…Axel was pretty cold. Roxas looked down and stared at the redhead's pale body. He needed to be warmed up, and from there he would figure out what to do next.

He looked over to the bed, which was in shambles from Axel ripping it to shreds. The whole room was a mess really…

He needed to find a place, someplace warm and dry for Axel to heat up in. And it needed to be clean…

Roxas grabbed hold of the Neko, his arms wrapping around the others as he pulled his body up, taking the Neko along with him. He took a deep breath as he heaved the surprisingly heavy on his back. He heard Axel utter a weak grunt, possibly awake after the rough handling, but ignored it. He knew Axel was too weak to hurt him now.

"Don't worry," Roxas said, breathing hard under the weight. He wasn't really used to such heavy lifting, but he wasn't going to let that stop him. "I'll…do something. I'll fix you up."

He heard no reply come from Axel, but it only made Roxas the more determined to go and drag the Neko along.

….

….

* * *

Marluxia groaned as he looked out the window, frustrated to see that the sun hadn't yet rose from the horizon. He pulled himself away from the huge window, letting himself lazily lean against the wall as he tried to figure out whether he ought to go back to sleep or just start the day a bit earlier than usual.

All he could think about was that letter.

He knew Larxene would get it sooner or later, and that he would receive a response to it soon after. It had bothered him all night long, the very thought that she might be reading the letter, twisting the words about in her mind as she came to the conclusion that he was "excited" and "overjoyed" if she were to come over and "spend a few days" here…with him.

As sad as it sounded…he was actually excited that Zack may or may not be arriving here soon. Another man, no matter whom he may be, would give him an excuse to leave her with the care of another.

Mainly Aerith.

Marluxia peered out the window once more, glancing into the gray and pink tinted sky.

There would be harm in getting the day started early. Everyone would mistake him for actually attempting to get things done earlier, and would expect him to continue this in the future. But then, it was far too early for him to eat, to bathe, to do anything of real leisure, and he was still tired, so acts like reading or walking about wouldn't be much fun.

Marluxia looked over to his bed.

He was far past the point of no return, there was no way he could fall back asleep. Even if he did, he'd only end up over sleeping, and then he'd have to hear it from Aerith later on. He had a lot of work to do today, prepping the mansion up in case, as if Larxene wouldn't accept his forced invitation, Larxene showed up. Everything had to look nice for the guests after all.

Marluxia dressed himself, thinking up a list of things to do for the first day, assuming Larxene would magically arrive today. He'd have to make sure the most extravagant guest rooms; excluding Luxord's, were tidied up and decorated for her. He was sure he would have to have the garden spruced up, because god forbid a vine be too long, or a bush too gnarled for her liking. He'd have to have the horses, carriages, and all other forms of transportation fixed, because he couldn't imagine a woman not wanting to got out and have a bit of fun while she was away from home.

…and then he'd have to think of what to do with Zack or Luxord, mainly Luxord since he didn't know whether or not the Guardian would show up. Larxene owned fiend slaves, and the fact that Luxord lacked a collar, a mark of a slave, wore nice clothes-when he was asked to- ate when he wanted, did what he wanted, had free roam of the mansion, garden, barn, yard, the whole goddamn property, and had a room of his own, even control of several servants; it just wouldn't add up right. True, he could always lie to her and explain his situation; his family had always relied on human labor. It would only be reasonable to assume that since he never owned a Neko, he wouldn't know how to keep one in line. He had no slave huts, only a huge garden with a shed full of tools, and keeping Luxord in there would just be silly! The only other place to keep in would be this very mansion, and if he was to stay in the mansion he would have to wear nice clothes, he would not have him running about half naked in front of the women.

Of course, the female servants actually didn't mind him walking around without a shirt. They didn't mind at _all_.

Of course, considering how long he had Luxord, Larxene would probably comment about how he should have ordered a collar or how he should have hired someone to clip Luxord's claws. Marluxia would have to think of some sort of excuse for that.

Speaking of which.

Marluxia stopped dead in his tracts as he glanced into the leisure room, spotting a sleeping Luxord. His jaw dropped a bit as he wondered whether the beds just weren't good enough for Luxord, or whether the furniture was just that comfortable. No, he was quite sure Luxord was in his room last night. He checked!

Marluxia sighed. No, no, no; Larxene would probably be coming over in several days. He couldn't have Luxord wandering about the place during the night. Marluxia had worried over whether or not he would be attacked, a fear that had dissolved long ago, but he was sure Larxene wouldn't stand for it. Luxord was a Neko; Larxene didn't want a wild Neko running around at night. A _male_Neko running around at night. It just wouldn't work.

Marluxia stomped over into the room with the intent of waking Luxord up. He wasn't sure how he was going to do it, but he needed to make sure Luxord understood that he needed to stay in his room at night. Maybe he ought to drug him…

"Luxord," Marluxia said tiredly. He stared down at the sleeping body.

Luxord looked as though he was at peace. It almost made Marluxia feel bad that he was bothering the Neko. Marluxia remembered the last time he woke up the Neko, recalling the effects of what happened soon after. His face prickled red as he washed the thought away from his focus. Now was not the time for that. No, as much as he enjoyed the idea of playing around, he had to be a bit stricter, especially during such serious matters.

"Luxord," Marluxia said again.

Luxord didn't budge. He was deep asleep.

Maybe physical attention was the only way to wake him up?

Once again, Marluxia pushed the thought away from his mind.

Marluxia noticed that Luxord was actually wearing clothes. The shirt, despite Luxord sleeping on his stomach, wasn't buttoned up, but he was still dressed decently.

Luxord fell asleep in his clothes? No…

He gave another look and stared carefully at the Neko, His clothes were a tad wrinkled, but it didn't tell him much. He did have a hard time believing Luxord wore the clothes all night long though.

Marluxia heard a small mutter emit from the Neko, and then suddenly remembered that he had to wake Luxord up, not stare him.

Marluxia gave another groan, shaking his head. He leaned down and placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, giving a small shake.

"Luxord, wake up," Marluxia said still giving the shoulder a good shake. He felt some movement, and he watched as Luxord's body curled up a bit, his peaceful facial expression changing a bit from being disturbed.

He heard a soft whine, a sign that Luxord was finally awake. He backed up a bit as the curled body began to stretch itself out, watching as two tired blue eyes made contact with his.

Marluxia smiled, "you're awake."

Luxord groaned, blinking several times as he tried to grab hold of what was going on.

"You need to get to your room," Marluxia said in a calm matter. Although he was planning on being a bit strict with Luxord, he found it to be much more difficult. That, and Luxord looked absolutely adorable when he was tired and cranky.

"…what," Luxord finally murmured. He blinked a few more times as he picked himself up, rubbing his eyes and yawning as he sat himself on the couch. He looked up and stared up at Marluxia. "…there was….something…"

"You're tired," Marluxia said. "You need to sleep in your room, not where ever you please. We may have a guest coming over soon, it would be rather…"

Marluxia trailed off as he saw the now frustrated look on Luxord's face. Luxord seemed disgruntled, as though something were bothering him. Marluxia worried whether he had interrupted Luxord, after all, the Neko was about to say something. Was that it?

"Luxord," Marluxia asked.

Luxord looked to Marluxia, his ears perking up a bit. "Yes," he muttered.

"…did I interrupt you," Marluxia asked.

Luxord looked down again.

"Was there something you wanted to say to me," Marluxia asked.

Luxord frowned, "I…I can't really remember." He sighed, shaking his head and sinking a bit into the seat. "I know…but…I just can't remember what it was." He looked up at Marluxia, looking upset, "I just…I don't know."

Marluxia nodded his head.

"You're still tired," he said, "It'll come to you when you're more alert." He stood up and crossed his arms looking off to the door. "You need rest…you were obviously awake longer than what I assumed. That's not good for your healing body."

"I suppose you're right," Luxord said, still a bit upset. "No…you're absolutely right."

Luxord stretched his legs out, yawning just a bit. Marluxia kept leering away from the Neko, only making an occasional glance toward his direction.

Luxord wasn't that helpless, was he? He was showing signs of improvement, but he was forgetting things now? Maybe he should write to Vexen about Luxord…

Marluxia blushed a bit. How on earth could he feel so worried for someone he didn't know very well? Luxord would probably kill him with his memory intact, seeing that there were so few wild Nekos that were open to humans. Then again, considering how well he's been treated, Luxord may still be friendly towards him.

Why was he thinking this anyways? What did it matter whether Luxord remembered anything or not? Whether he got his memory back or not? Wasn't the plan to benefit from Luxord, to let Xemnas see that he was not all too radical and different? It didn't matter what happened to Luxord, so long as Marluxia was not seen as something to keep an eye on was all that mattered…

…or should matter.

"Marluxia?"

Marluxia looked over to see Luxord staring at him with a rather confused expression.

"I was thinking to myself," Marluxia said, turning around.

"About what," Luxord asked.

"What goes on in my mind is far too complicated for you to comprehend," Marluxia hastily said. "But, I suppose, if you must know, I was thinking about you…and Xemnas."

"Xemnas?" Luxord folded his arms. "I don't think you've mentioned a Xemnas before?"

"He's someone I know," Marluxia replied. Almost immediately after saying this Luxord took interest. Marluxia shook his head and smirked. "And believe me when I say he's nothing you would want to know about. Unless you're one born of high class, he means nothing but trouble-your kind especially."

"Why always my kind," Luxord asked. "It seems as though being what I am mean nothing but trouble from you…"

"…that's because it is, Luxord," Marluxia answered with a shrug. He didn't have to look at Luxord to guess he was upset by this answer. "It's rather hard for me to explain, but understand that what people see in a Neko is what they've been seeing for years…it's not easily changeable."

He gave a quick glance to see Luxord nodded his head, though a bit disappointed in his vague answer. Marluxia slowly began to walk off, expecting Luxord to follow him, though he didn't bother looking. It did sort of bother him though. Luxord knew nothing, and Marluxia figured it was a bit of his responsibility to explain how the world worked…but how was he supposed to explain something as alien as slavery? And how was Luxord supposed to handle such a concept; that his kind was a form of free labor?

Marluxia stopped.

Damn.

He turned around and walked over to the Neko, grabbing Luxord's hand roughly. There was a quick jolt from Luxord, his expression showing surprise from the sudden contact. He waited for Luxord to settle down a bit before finally speaking.

"I don't think your bad," Marluxia said bluntly. He regretted saying this about a second later.

Luxord just stared.

"…what?"

"People take advantage of your kind," Marluxia answered. "They think, because you look different, that they can do whatever they want…no matter how cruel it may seem." He let go of Luxord's hand and looked down. "You're…a tool to them."

Marluxia looked back up and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But…that's how it works…and that's what Xemnas sees in you."

Luxord still looked rather surprised, though his facial expression seemed to have relaxed a bit after Marluxia let go of him. But he was still shocked nonetheless.

Marluxia couldn't blame him.

"So…people use me," Luxord asked.

"As a form of labor," Marluxia answered.

"…why?"

"…I honestly don't know, but as I mentioned, it may because you're simply different," Marluxia answered. He sighed. "That' usually how it works."

"But that doesn't seem very fair," Luxord said.

Marluxia felt a tint of guilt hit him as he heard those words.

"Yeah…I know," he replied.

"…and you can't change it," Luxord asked.

"…well…"

Actually, it was possible, but Marluxia doubted such a thing could ever occur. Although elves were no longer a source of labor, the only reason why the act was passed was because the elves revolted. And they had help as well as resources they could depend on. Aside from the Neko that live in Haii, Marluxia couldn't think of a valid source that could help produce weaponry or sanctuary. And the citizens of Haii would never commit to an act like this, being that they had just begun to trade with them for certain resources they lacked, as well as other ethical reasons.

But it was possible. If the votes added up, then sure, Neko's could be free form a life of servitude.

Luxord must have read his mind, because right after thinking this he then asked Marluxia; "Can you change it…?"

Marluxia bit his lip.

"I could attempt it," he answered. It was as truthful of an answer as he could get. "But there is no guarantee that it would happen."

"But you would try," Luxord asked.

Marluxia stared into the Neko's hopeful eyes, seeing them filled with just a bit of light in them. What would he be if he said no? There was no punishment for coming up with possible laws or acts, as long as they were within regulation. All Luxord was asking was that he try.

And Luxord really wanted this.

"I'll try," Marluxia said. Why? Why was he doing this? Why was he letting this Neko get the best of him? It couldn't be just because he was helpless, because they had a few intimate moments together…

Did he actually…care about Luxord?

"But I can't promise anything good will happen!" Marluxia hurriedly added, his face red from the horrific thought that such a thing was capable. It was one thing to act for pure pleasure or gain, another when there was emotional ties to it. Marluxia couldn't handle such a thought.

Not that Luxord cared.

He was rather pleased from hearing this. No, he was quite happy to hear this. And Marluxia almost forgot how bad it was to think such thoughts before looking at Luxord and thinking them all over again. A part of him enjoyed seeing Luxord happy. But it was wrong. If Luxord were at least female then what he was currently feeling right now wouldn't be a problem. Hell, if Luxord were human then it would be somewhat acceptable.

But he wasn't!

He wasn't; he was a goddamned N-

But all thoughts went blank in Marluxia's mind as he felt Luxord's soft lips press lightly against his. His eyes went wide as he felt them press against his, Luxord being the one to actually take action. Marluxia froze in place as he felt his hand being grabbed by Luxord's in a firm grip, the space between them quickly diminishing.

And like that, Marluxia found himself grabbing hold of the blonde, taking immediate control of the situation as his arms wrapped around Luxord's waist, his lips crushing against the others, and his whole being begging for more. Luxord didn't seem to mind Marluxia's advance though, so he pressed on forcing himself on the other. He broke the kiss only after his lips began to feel a bit sore, and gave him and Luxord a brief break from the other before going right back. But instead of bruising Luxord's lips more he moved down to the Neko's neck, immediately beginning to lay little kisses all over the pale skin. This time Luxord was a bit more surprised, jumping just a bit when his skin felt the tingled sensation of the other on his neck. Marluxia kept a hold of him, feeling the other squirm a bit before settling down and letting him continue on with leaving small marks on his neck.

What was he doing exactly? Sure, it was early in the morning, early enough to get away with it, but wouldn't this eventually bite him in the back?

Sadly, these thoughts didn't enter Marluxia's mind, especially not after tasting Luxord's sweet skin. The blonde had heated up a bit, and Marluxia loved it. He loved hearing the weak moans escape from his throat, and he enjoyed nipping and sucking in his skin. He felt Luxord's hands grab on to his shoulder, his sharp claws digging into this clothing, but not piercing any skin. Marluxia let go of Luxord's waist, figuring that Luxord holding on to him meant they wouldn't be parting anytime soon, and let his hands explore Luxord's body. His shirt wasn't buttoned, so Marluxia could feel the heat radiate from his sensitive skin. His mere touch causing the other to whine a bit from frustration.

God, this was wonderful.

Marluxia had to pull himself away from Luxord to let himself catch a breather before finally staring down the other. Luxord still had his hands digging into Marluxia's shoulders, and thought a bit awkward, the two managed to blush when meeting the others eye contact.

Marluxia smirked, staring at the surprised Neko.

Luxord blinked a few times, still taking in what had just happened.

"You started it," Marluxia then said, pushing the blame to the other.

"I did," Luxord asked. He didn't seem upset by this. In fact, Marluxia could've sworn that Luxord was impressed by this.

"You did," Marluxia said, still smiling. His eyes wandered about Luxord's body. He could see Luxord's chest, his body still permeating the heat of passion. He was breathing hard, still excited, and Marluxia was sure Luxord wanted more. "And you'll be finishing it as well," he then added with a cruel hint to his voice.

Luxord's eyes lit up a bit.

Marluxia's smile grew even more, ecstatic to see that Luxord wanted to continue this forbidden act. Screw everything else, he wanted the Neko now.

"Finish," Luxord asked.

"Yes," Marluxia replied, grabbing hold of Luxord again. He gave a small glance to the furniture, wondering if it would be crude to commit such acts upon it. He frowned…no, it would have to wait a bit. They needed the assured privacy of a bedroom.

Oh well…a few minutes hopefully wouldn't kill them.

"Remember when I told you Zack and Aerith do more than just kiss," Marluxia said, his fingers grazing across Luxord's face. He let his head lean against Luxord's, his blue eyes gleaming excitedly at the others as he placed a small kiss on the Neko's forehead. "Do you want to know what happens next?"

There wad only a small pause before Luxord finally answered.

"…yes."

* * *

Gee, I wonder what will happen next chapter?


	10. Red Poppy II

So, I'm getting back into One Piece…and I feel, many eons from now, that there may be a few OP fanfics, though they probably would only be humor fics, since I can't take the series seriously. Even the more serious fics have made me laugh.

Oh well…

So…the sex scene was written with Luxord's POV, but keep in mind that Marluxia is still a rather sadistic person. You know, since we don't really get his thoughts in this chapter….just remember that. Oh, and Luxord isn't a virgin or anything…but he doesn't remember how to play the baby making game, so everything is pretty much like his first time. All over again. God, amnesia is convenient.

* * *

-Chapter 10-

Axel let his body curl a bit within the warm surroundings, his conscious barely registering reality as he breathed lightly into the sheets that surrounded his body. He was awake, but just barely.

He was warm…and the sensation of being covered all around brought a rather comforting feeling as he continued to doze. His mind didn't seem to move about, and all thoughts began to stagnate soon after, not bothering to question where he was, what was going on, or whether this was all just a dream. But then, how could he possibly concentrate on something so complicated when he was so comfortable?

He put up a pretty good argument, even if it was towards himself.

Axel buried his head into the unknown softness, muttering softly as he felt himself drift deeper back into the sleep that he had just woken from. He didn't know where he was, what was going on, and for the most part, he really didn't care.

But Axel's peaceful sleep was soon interrupted, and by his own actions no less. He was conscious enough to register certain sensations, and as soon as he was about to let himself fall back into a deep slumber, he felt a stabbing sensation hit him in the stomach.

Axel lurched a bit, his hand traveling through the sheets and his body twitching a bit from the pain as he grabbed hold of himself. He heard a somewhat loud sound emit from his gut, and a bit more pain continued, causing Axel to open his eyes and force himself from the wonderful sleep.

He was starving.

Axel blinked a few times; his arm that wasn't covering his stomach was freeing itself from the blankets that were messily covering him. His eyes blurred a bit as he tried to make out where he was, easily realizing, despite only being half awake, that he wasn't in the room he had been in before. His long finger leaked through the sheets and Axel felt the cool air seep into the warmth, causing his eyes to widen just a bit. The bright colors soon began to settle in their appropriate surroundings, and Axel could make out where he was, or at least, figure where he was.

In the same mansion…but in a smaller room.

Axel grabbed the covers of the sheets and pulled them up with him as he sat himself on the soft bed. He looked around the room, immediately taking notice in a very open door. He stared at his easy exit for several seconds, almost debating whether he was still dreaming or not. He had become so used to staring at two bolted doors…he had a hard time believing that it was going to be this easy.

The redhead slowly let the sheets go, letting the cold air hit his exhausted body. Axel hissed a bit. He was a lot weaker than he had figured to be. He breathed hard, wincing as his lungs inhaled the icy air.

He was far too weak, but it didn't seem to stop him from wanting to get up and out of the area. He was sure he wouldn't be given another opportunity like this one. Axel pulled his legs out of the covers; wincing just a bit as he felt more cold hit his body. It also didn't help he was no longer wearing his leather, heat absorbing pants.

Axel frowned. He let a finger trail down his other arm, which was covered in a flimsy, loose sleeve made from some unknown cloth. It definitely wouldn't help him. The very idea of him traveling around in something so loose just didn't bold well with him. What if it got caught in something? What if he needed to move around in a more crowded area, these clothes would only get in the way.

Where were his clothes?

He looked around the room once more, jumping off the bed as he nervously searched for his articles. There was no way he could go out without some form of protection…

"You're awake."

Axel jolted a bit. He turned his head to the side to see Roxas standing at the doorway, with some sort of clothing in his arms. At least, that was what Axel though, though he had never seen such strange, obvious colors before. But the buttons…

Wait, why was he thinking about this?

"Where are my clothes," Axel hissed, turning his whole body around and facing Roxas. He tried to look as menacing as possible. It didn't seem to work much though, Roxas' current expression didn't change one bit.

"You should be in bed," Roxas said, ignoring Axel's question. The blond walked over to Axel, ignoring the Neko's threatening pose as he dropped whatever he was holding in his arms on a chair. He turned to Axel and frowned. "Get to bed; you're too sick to be up!"

Axel was taken aback by this. He could see the look of actual concern on the boy's face, and almost didn't believe it at first. Why would Roxas care about his health? The boy wasn't good, at least not from what Axel had seen, being that he bought other living beings. But now he actually cared?

"What?" Axel shook his head as though he didn't quite understand.

Roxas didn't answer. He grabbed Axel by the wrist and pulled him over to the bed, forcing him to sit back down. Axel wanted to protest, but found that he was a bit too faint to do so. When was back on the bed he found his head spinning just a bit. He looked up to Roxas, blinking a few times before lowering his head and grabbing hold of it.

"You're so stubborn," he heard Roxas say from above. "You had to go starve yourself…get your wound infected, and you're running a fever."

Axel still seemed a bit out of it. What on earth was the boy talking about? An infection? He knew he was hungry as ever, but when did he…?

Axel then looked over to his side, remembering that Roxas had mentioned something about him being "shot". He could remember that night where he ran from the cloaked men, and he had heard a strange loud noise, followed by the pain that caused him to pass out. Was the wound infected now?

He lifted up the clothing and took a peek at his bandaged side. There were fresh, white bandages covering his skin.

Axel let go of the cloth and looked up to Roxas with a confused expression.

"You…"

"Not me," Roxas said, shaking his head. "I only carried you to this room. I had a doctor sent over here to clean it and drain the infected part of the wound. After that we had you cleaned up and your clothes changed for something a bit more fresh and clean." Roxas crossed his arms and looked away from Axel, blushing just a bit. "There's no reason for you to feel obliged in thanking me."

"I don't," Axel said. "I just…wanted to know how I got here. Why I'm not locked up in that other room."

"I see you're still upset," Roxas muttered. He took a deep breath and sighed. "Whatever the case, you need to rest. You're really weak right now."

Axel chuckled. "You think I don't know that?" He stood up and leered down at the young blonde, "Where are my clothes?"

"Why do you keep asking," Roxas asked.

"So I can get the hell out of here," Axel snapped. "You think just because you helped me out doesn't mean I'll just forgive you and accept you as some sort of master."

"I never said you had to," Roxas asked, "but if you think you'll be leaving…"

Axel leaned in closer to Roxas. He sneered at him, "or what?"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "You've never seen snow before…have you?" He took a step back from Axel and walked over to the window. "Although it's springtime I doubt you'll do well. You're used to hot, humid weather. Up here though, you'll probably end up with pneumonia if you wander outside, especially when you only have a pair of pants."

"I don't care," Axel retorted. He looked over to the door, which was looking more inviting by the second. "I'm getting out of here…"

"I bought you," Roxas said.

"You can't buy someone," Axel yelled. "I'm free to do whatever I want. Just because I'm not some stupid human doesn't mean I'm anything less than what I am!"

Roxas shook his head.

"I'm serious," Axel said. "I'm going! Now. I'm going to get out of here, find Luxord, and then we're going home…away from you and your kind!"

"I already told-"

"I don't care what you told me," Axel yelled back. "You think just because you say something that it becomes legit? I'm not going to let him waste away with some sick human who thinks he can treat us like mere objects." He let his hands ball up into tight fists as he continued to glare at the boy. "Well, I don't care what you say! And I'll fight my way if I have to…I'll fight…I'll…"

Axel's legs shook a bit as he stumbled a bit. He grabbed on to Roxas as he suddenly fell forward, causing him and Roxas to fall down to the floor. Axel gasped as he fell, his head shaking a bit as he pulled himself off from Roxas. He didn't bother to check how the boy was doing. He breathed hard as he tried to get himself back up, but his body just felt so much heavier that his legs just wouldn't support him. His eyes darted nervously around the room as he felt his vision bounce from good to decent to really blurry.

"Damn…" Axel slowly shook his head. He was so weak. And he was only getting weaker. He felt his throat tighten as he tried to hold in the tears that were trying to run down. Roxas was right…he would never make it out. The room was cold as it was when he got out of all those confounded sheets…it was even colder outside? How would he ever get out of here?

Axel let his body fall back to the cold floor, ignoring Roxas' comments as he stared up at the ceiling. He was so tired right now, and he felt like he was about to pass out again.

"You really aren't that far from death," he heard Roxas say next to him. Axel tilted his head a bit and stared up at Roxas' upset expression. "I know you don't like me…you probably hate me, but if you want to live to see the next day you'll do as I say."

Axel bit his lip and looked away from the boy.

"You're so goddamn stubborn," he heard Roxas mutter. The voice seemed a bit strained. Was he sad? Why? "Why can't you just listen…?"

"Because you make me sick," Axel said weakly, still looking away.

"I make you sick?" Roxas chuckled.

"I just want to go home…"

"This is home," Roxas answered. "You may not think so right now, but over time you'll see." Axel felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He didn't bother reacting to it, he bothered he could well enough anyways. "I'm not going to treat you the way you think I will…I told you I had all sorts of plans." This time Axel did flinch. The words frightened him. "I'm not going to hurt you; I don't want to hurt you, Axel…"

"Leave me alone," he cried, curling up.

"Axel...please…"

"I don't want to be here, I don't want this to be my home…I want to go home," Axel said, looking over at Roxas.

"There's so much you can learn, so many things I can show you," Roxas said, trying his best to ignore Axel's pleas. "I can make you so happy…"

"I need to find Luxord…"

"Why won't you listen?"

"I gotta find a way…" Axel glanced back at the door. Roxas wasn't helping one bit. The boy was completely deranged, thinking that he would simply come to accept this strange place as a possible home. As far as Axel knew, he had only one home, and that was miles away. These humans were not his family, and he certainly would not let them come to be as well. How dare Roxas say such things…?

"…I'll find Luxord for you," he suddenly heard Roxas say.

Axel's ears perked up and his eyes widened just a bit. Had he heard that right?

"I'll find your friend," Roxas said again. "If you just be patient, and listen to what I say, I'll go and have a team of Hunters find him."

Axel turned around and stared up at Roxas. Was he being honest? He could see the determined look on the boy's face. He couldn't be lying, not with something that serious.

"…really," Axel asked.

Roxas nodded his head. "If you promise to do what I say, and not be so rash, then I'll have a group look for him."

Axel's jaw dropped a bit. Roxas would find Luxord? And then they would be free to go home? Was it really that simple?

"What do you plan on making me do?" Axel forced himself up a bit so that he was sitting and at Roxas' eye level. "There's got to be some sort of catch to this…"

Roxas smiled. "I just want to teach you a few things is all…I said I had plans…but trust me when I say that none of them will be harmful to you. I just…"

The boy truly looked upset. This had to be bothering him. But despite being unsure, Axel knew something like this shouldn't be passed up. He didn't know when he would be given some sort of option to freedom. His only other choice would be braving the unknown wild on his own, and he was far too weak to pull such a task off. Right now this was the only and best option.

And he doubted Roxas would pull out of the deal once made…

"I'll do it," Axel said.

"What?"

"Whatever it is, I'll do it," Axel said. He looked up and stared intently at Roxas. "As long as you keep your word, I'll keep to this plan of yours…but as soon as you back out…"

Roxas smiled, "great!" He grabbed Axel's hand. "It's a deal then."

Axel looked down to his hand, then back up at Roxas. He hadn't seen the boy smile like that before; it seemed out of his character. But it made him fee a bit more relaxed, as well a more positive that this wasn't a bad idea, so Axel let it pass.

The sooner he left the better…

"We need to get you back in bed," Roxas said suddenly. He stood up and offered a hand to Axel. "I know that there will be some strain between us more the meantime, but you should know that all I have is the best interest for you."

Axel nodded his head.

"You'll need to rest for now, as well as put something in your stomach," Roxas continued. "Rest assure Axel, your time here will not be as bad as you think it will be."

Axel stared at Roxas' hand. Were all the human children this different, or was Roxas just an exemption? Planning, ideas…he had no idea what Roxas had in store for him, but whatever it took for him to get out of here…

"Ok," he said, taking the boy's hand.

* * *

"What…is this?"

Luxord waited for Marluxia to answer, though he could barely concentrate on any particular thought as the man continued to press him against the wall of his room. He hissed a bit as Marluxia continued to ravage his neck with small bites, but didn't bother trying to stop him from continuing. It hurt a bit, but the wonderful sensation underneath made it worthwhile.

"What?" Marluxia muttered, freeing himself from the Neko.

"This feeling," Luxord whispered.

Marluxia smirked at Luxord. "Enjoying yourself?" he asked.

Luxord nodded his head.

"Then what does it matter," Marluxia replied. "…you'll get your answer in the end, so there shouldn't be a problem…"

That didn't seem fair. He knew he was at a huge disadvantage. His whole body felt like it was on fire, and it was begging for pain and pleasure…why? He looked at Marluxia, wishing he could be upset at the man, but found it quite impossible. He really wanted Marluxia…he wanted to grab him and do things…he didn't know what, but he just wanted.

"Are you nervous?"

Luxord blinked, finding himself back in his room.

"Of course," he replied. He stared at Marluxia. His hand lifted itself, grabbing hold of the other, trying to bring Marluxia closer to him. "But…"

Marluxia didn't give Luxord time to finish his sentence. He pulled the Neko over to where the bed was, Luxord following right behind him as Marluxia moved Luxord a bit, facing him for the briefest second before pushing him into the bed.

"You talk too much," Marluxia said. "Just let go…it'll make things a lot easier."

There was a small spark of fear when he was pushed onto the bed without as much as a warning. Luxord wasn't quite sure to expect from Marluxia right now and having to wait patiently and watch as the man took action made him feel rather nervous.

No, he was still excited, very excited, but another part of him was rather fearful of what could be coming. His heart was racing, his body hot and shaky and tingling and beginning for Marluxia to keep touching him and giving him attention. He didn't know why, but it seemed as though he needed these things.

Luxord looked up at Marluxia, who was now hovering just above him, his deep blue eyes staring back at him and his hand on his shoulder.

Luxord lowered his ears.

"Don't be so nervous," Marluxia said, smirking just a bit as he lowered his head. "The door's locked…"

Luxord made a quick glance over to the door before looking back to Marluxia. What did a locked door have to do with anything?

Luxord shivered as he suddenly felt his shirt being removed, his hot, sensitive body being exposed to the cold air as Marluxia pulled his first article of clothing down. He gave a quick yank, making Luxord lift an arm and took the shirt, tossing it aside and letting it fall to the floor. Luxord couldn't help but stare at the strewn clothing, even as he felt Marluxia's hands wander down and work their way with his pants.

Marluxia was rather quick with getting himself into the others clothing, working his way through the small yet tedious task of pulling Luxord's remaining clothing off. Luxord made a small whine as he felt more icy cold air rest on his heated skin, even more when he felt cold fingers graze across it.

Marluxia chuckled.

Luxord's heart raced even faster. Every little action Marluxia did drove him closer to insanity. It was as though Marluxia knew what he was doing…somehow. He said Aerith and Zack did things…was this really it? How would he know about such things?

"Have you done this before?" Luxord asked.

"Only to women," Marluxia answered. He kissed Luxord's neck, giving it a small lick before continuing. "And mind you, I wasn't very passionate about it."

"This is passionate," Luxord asked, breathing hard.

"I'm being gentle," Marluxia answered. "If you want passion, you'll have to be a bit more patient."

Why?

"Don't be upset," Marluxia continued, letting his other hand rest on Luxord's lower stomach. "One step at a time, _love_."

Luxord grumbled to himself. He wished his emotions weren't that easy to read. He wished he knew what was going on…

He gasped as he felt Marluxia's cold hand reach and touch a very sensitive part of him. He looked up at Marluxia, his shocked expression growing as he felt fingers wrap around it, causing him to twitch and struggle about underneath him. It didn't feel bad, in fact it felt pretty good, very good, but it was surprising, and just the little touch made his whole self react. His faced turned a deep red as he felt Marluxia's hand rise a bit, and then slowly move back down, teasing him.

"Feels good," Marluxia muttered.

Luxord couldn't lie; "Y-yes"

"Kiss me," Marluxia demanded, letting his other hand raise Luxord's head a bit. Luxord didn't hesitate to respond as he lifted himself and pressed his lips against Marluxia's. He gave a soft sigh as he felt Marluxia bit his lower lip, deepening the kiss as he continued to stroke and torment his lower half.

Luxord's arms wrapped tightly around Marluxia, his fingers curling up as he tried not to grab hold of Marluxia and possibly hurt him. He felt Marluxia's hand let go of his face, going back down to pull at his pants, puling them down till they were past his hips. Luxord moaned into the others mouth, feeling Marluxia speed up a bit, causing him to wriggle about as he felt more pleasure and pressure build up around that area.

Suddenly Marluxia let go of Luxord's sensitive organ, and pushed the Neko down on the bed. Luxord stared up, watching Marluxia hurriedly undress himself, tossing his clothes aside and then moving back to Luxord. He grabbed hold of Luxord's side, removing the unwanted article of clothing and throwing it away. His eyes lingered down at Luxord, examining every inch of his body. Luxord did the same, and had been doing so for quite some time now. His blue eyes seemed glued to Marluxia's body, having realized how very similar they were. His eyes lowered a bit and stopped when he saw Marluxia's manhood. He felt a bit curious as he remembered what Marluxia had done to him, and blushed, looking away from a second as he wondered if he was supposed to do the same or not.

Marluxia went back to kissing Luxord, this time on the chest. His hands trailed around the Neko's body, feeling every little bit of it as he tasted Luxord. Luxord continued to grab hold of him, wanting the gap between them to die out and wanting some sort of friction for that aching part of him. He wanted more, more sensation and attention. His nails dug into Marluxia's skin, causing the other to hiss a bit, as he felt Marluxia's hot body rub against his manhood. Despite the pain, Marluxia continued with the kisses, moving down a bit as he proceeded to kiss Luxord's stomach. Luxord closed his eyes tight as he felt Marluxia hot breath hit him. A hot tongue pressed against his skin, dipping into his navel and causing him to hiss a bit.

Luxord opened his eyes when all sensation finally ended. He looked into Marluxia's eyes, wondering what was supposed to come up next.

Marluxia let a hand over in front of Luxord, curling all fingers expect his index and middle.

"Suck," he demanded, pressing his fingers lightly against Luxord's lips.

Luxord opened his mouth and willingly took the fingers in his mouth.

"Eager, are," Marluxia asked. "Try not to be too rough now; we're still far from over."

Marluxia pressed himself closer to Luxord, forcing the other to spread his legs a bit. He waited a bit before pulled his fingers away from Luxord. He glanced down, his face exposing just a bit of worry.

"…this is going to feel…" Marluxia's voice trailed a bit as he tried to find the right word for it, "…strange."

"_Strange_," Luxord asked suspiciously. "What does that mean?"

"It'll feel better after a while, and you're body should get used to it…hopefully."

Luxord frowned. Why didn't that sound promising?

"Just…relax," Marluxia said, grabbing Luxord's leg and, moving it a bit to the side.

Luxord jumped a bit as he felt cold wet fingers press against his opening. His widened as he looked to Marluxia with an almost horrified expression.

"It'll only hurt for a bit," Marluxia hastily added.

"Why?" Luxord asked in a shocked voice.

Marluxia rolled his eyes and then grabbed Luxord's length, stroking it roughly. Luxord closed his eyes and arched his back moaning as Marluxia continued, barely noticing when a finger penetrated him. Barely. He still noticed though.

"Ah," he whined, opening his eyes as he glared at Marluxia. It didn't hurt, but it felt strange. It felt odd, and having it move around inside of him only added to the harm. Marluxia let go of Luxord's organ, forcing the blonde to focus on the weird sensation. And then he felt another finger press against him, easily forcing its way inside him. "Nngh" He winced, feeling a slight tingle of pain around his entrance.

"You need to relax," Marluxia said. "It'll hurt less if you try to force it out."

"It hurts," Luxord said, not paying much attention to Marluxia's comment.

"Just _relax_," Marluxia said again, "it'll feel better…trust me."

Luxord couldn't deny that. Marluxia hadn't proven him wrong before. He felt weird…he could feel Marluxia stretching him out, his fingers moving around in a scissor like motion. It really only hurt a little, but the way Marluxia made it sound made him wonder how much more it would in the future. They weren't done, not yet. He still needed more…and he hadn't done a thing for Marluxia yet.

After what seemed like an eternity of endorsement, Marluxia removed his fingers from Luxord. He gave a small sigh of relief, glad that it was over. However, Marluxia continued to hover above him with a menacing look on his face, and both of his hands grabbing on to Luxord legs.

Luxord's ears lowered a bit.

"Scared?" Marluxia asked.

Luxord glanced in between Marluxia's legs.

Marluxia chuckled. "You catch on quick."

"That's…bigger than two fingers," Luxord said. "A lot bigger."

"Thanks for the compliment," Marluxia said with a laugh.

Luxord paled a bit, "I'm not sure about this."

"You'll have your turn," Marluxia said.

Luxord shook his head.

"It'll feel good," Marluxia said, "you just have to give it a try."

Luxord grumbled. "You're…sure?"

"Have I ever lied to you before," Marluxia commented.

Luxord shook his head.

Marluxia smiled, lowering his head and placing a kiss on Luxord's cheek. "Just relax…the worst part will be over in a few seconds."

Luxord listened and closed his eyes, trying his best to relax as he felt his legs spread nice and wide for a much easier access. He felt his heartbeat rush as he anticipated that pain that was going to come.

And then he felt it.

Luxord's cried out as he felt his opening stretch out, making room for Marluxia's erect organ. He writhed in pain as he felt Marluxia press on, going all the way in until he was fully sheathed. Luxord trembled as he felt his self instinctively tighten around Marluxia, his body trying to push the pain away.

"Relax…"

"It really hurts," Luxord whined.

"First time always does," Marluxia said. He closed his eyes and sighed. "God, you're so tight…" Marluxia grabbed on to Luxord, holding him tightly. "Do you want to continue?"

Luxord breathed heavily. Without saying a word, he wrapped his arms around Marluxia, burying his face in the others chest.

He winced as he felt Marluxia begin to thrust and pull out, his legs trembling as he felt pain grow inside him. Marluxia grabbed hold of Luxord's hips and thrust again, causing Luxord to cry out. What was that? He felt a sensational feeling run up his spine as his vision blurred a bit.

"Too hard," Marluxia asked.

"No," Luxord answered. He couldn't explain what had just happened. There was still pain, but then there was that burst of pleasure…right when Marluxia hit a part of him.

Marluxia's concerned expression eased up as he continued on, Luxord held on to Marluxia, gasping as he felt the other thrust deep inside him. Marluxia began to kiss Luxord again, sucking hard on Luxord's lips. He let go of Luxord's hip, his hand traveling over to Luxord's erection.

"Ah!" Luxord moaned. He felt Marluxia's hand stroke him, moving alongside with the rhythm he was producing as he continued to move about inside the Neko. Their kisses became a bit softer as each one become rougher on the other. Luxord's sharp claw like nails had punctured Marluxia's skin as Marluxia sped up a bit, getting closer to his climax. Luxord arched up, eager for Marluxia to continue to stroke him. His face flushed a deep red as he felt more pressure twist about in his abdomen, moaning louder as he felt himself reach closer to his end as well. "Marluxia…"

"Wonderful, keep saying my name," Marluxia whispered, he pressed his lips against Luxord's cheek. "It excites me…" Marluxia gave another hard thrust, rubbing against Luxord's soft spot. Luxord gasped, his claws digging into Marluxia's skin as we felt another wave of intense pleasure ride down his spine. Marluxia noticed right away and chuckled. "That felt good, didn't it?"

Luxord didn't even respond as he was still rather shaky from the feeling. Marluxia thrust again to get his answer, and was quite pleased to see Luxord moan loudly from the building tension.

"Say it," he demanded in a dominating tone.

"M-mar…"

"Stuttering won't get you any closer," Marluxia coaxed, his hand leaving Luxord length. Luxord leered selfishly at Marluxia, almost offended that he would do such a thing.

Marluxia laughed.

"Marluxia," Luxord said, his tone filled with desperation.

Marluxia began to suck on Luxord's neck again, his hand playing with Luxord's organ. Luxord whimpered as he felt a small release of pressure, though it didn't do much help.

"You're so close," Marluxia said.

Close to what?

Marluxia's hand grazed through platinum blonde hair, his head resting against the others. His hand gripped around Luxord's length as he, uttered a few incoherent words, and hit that sensitive spot inside Luxord again.

"Nngh," Luxord weakly cried out, "Marluxia!"

Marluxia smirked and repeated the action, this time much faster, hardly giving the Neko time to respond. Luxord eyes closed tight as he felt himself drawing closer, his body getting weaker and hotter by the second with every hard thrust in him, the growing pleasure seeming to engulf him. He looked up, not at Marluxia, but at the cover of the bed post, his eyes not really meeting with anything as he felt himself let go. But then it hit him.

Luxord curled back into Marluxia's chest, his eyes closed tight as he felt an unbelievable feeling envelope him. His body lurched forward, and he felt warmth take hold of him, and it was wonderful. He felt his body release, and his spine sent shills and shivers and even more pleasure all around him and his body. And as soon as it happened, it was over. His body felt drained as soon as he opened his eyes, and the only thing he could focus on once again was the fact that a part of Marluxia was inside of him, though it wasn't nearly as bad as before. He actually looked up and stared at Marluxia this time, his expression much more tense than he remembered. Luxord was too tired to respond or wonder why. Marluxia stared back down at him, grabbed hold of Luxord's now free hand and held on to it. Luxord's eyes widened as he felt sudden warmth hit him from inside, followed by spasm like thrusts. His free hand grabbed on to Marluxia as he resisted from crying out as Marluxia came inside of him. Within a few moments it was over though, and both males stood in place in absolute silence.

"…"

Luxord's breathing began to finally ease as he let himself go from Marluxia's moist body. He collapsed into the bed, and Marluxia soon followed, quickly removing himself from Luxord, which only hurt a little, letting himself land right next to him. Luxord kept staring up, too exhausted to really turn over to his side and ask what had just happened.

He felt…satisfied.

"…that wasn't that bad now, was it," he heard Marluxia say from his head.

"No, no it wasn't," Luxord answered. He felt his face cool off as heat began to escape from him. He finally turned his head to Marluxia. "What was that," he asked.

"What was what?"

"What we did," Luxord asked.

Marluxia chuckled. "There are a lot of names for what we did…but, to be simple, it was sex…"

"Sex," Luxord muttered, looking back up.

"Yes," Marluxia said, "and despite the small fight you put up, it was rather good."

Luxord turned back to Marluxia, curiously looking at him.

"You can top next time," Marluxia continued, "if you remember what to do." He laughed. "You held out pretty well. Pretty good for someone who might be a virgin to this." Marluxia lifted up a hand, staring at the liquid that coated it. "Tsk…what a mess you've made."

The strange liquid…Luxord paled a bit as he realized the same stuff was probably inside him.

"Don't worry," Marluxia said, "I'll have someone draw you a bath later on…"

"Hmm?" Luxord muttered.

"You still need your sleep," Marluxia said. "If anything, this ought to help in achieving that goal."

Luxord frowned. "Are you leaving?"

"I'm a gentleman," Marluxia said. "I don't just have my way with someone and leave them, no." He let a hand rest on Luxord's face. "Unless you want me to, I'll stay here for the time being, at least until you've fallen deep asleep."

Luxord smiled.

He really couldn't explain what he was feeling. He was tired, exhausted, and his lower half felt sore, but he was happy…more than just happy. It was so familiar.

It was as though…

…

As though he had felt this before.

He wished he knew how to explain it to Marluxia. He wanted to tell him about this warmth that was in him, that it wasn't something new either…but it seemed beyond words.

Maybe he was merely imagining it?

"Stay," Luxord said.

"Of course," Marluxia said.

Luxord relaxed himself on the bed, letting his body cool off as he felt Marluxia scoot up against him. He felt the man wrap an arm around his body, the other resting right on top of him, swaying back an forth in a petting like motion. Luxord let his eyes close halfway as he curled up a bit, bringing his legs closer to him. His backside was nice and warm with Marluxia being there, and his front had Marluxia's arm cradling him.

It was nice…

"You can purr?"

Luxord turned his head a bit and glanced over at Marluxia.

"What," he asked tiredly.

"What you were doing right now," Marluxia pointed out.

Luxord shook his head. What on earth was he talking about?

Marluxia groaned.

"You know what," he said, "never mind…just go to sleep…"

* * *

"You told him what," Larxene asked, nearly dropping her small handbag as she made her way down the small flight of stairs.

"What else could I do," Roxas asked, shaking his head miserably as he followed his sister. "He wouldn't listen to me…"

"You make him listen to you, she said, shaking her head as well. She groaned and placed a hand on her face. "Don't try to appease him; it's the other way around!"

"He looked so happy too…."

Larxene stopped in her tracks and stared hard at her little brother.

"And how do you expect to find this Neko," she asked.

Roxas looked down to the floor, incapable e of finding an answer.

"Exactly," she said. "You were better off with simple punishment…pain teaches anyone whatever you want them to know."

"That won't do any good," he muttered in an upset tone.

"Promising him that you'll find is friend when you know you can't is just as bad," Larxene comments with a snort. She laughed as she began to walk down the stairs once more. "He's expecting you to provide…"

Roxas frowned, gritting his teeth as he realized what a mess he had put himself in. He needed to think of some sort of plan. Axel would only stay as long as he figured he would get something out of it. He really didn't want to force the Neko into staying…

Gods…this was not looking good.

"You better think of something soon," Larxene said. "He'll be expecting some sort of news…"

"You think lying will work," Roxas asked Larxene.

"For a while," Larxene answered, moving aside to let her brother get of the stairway. "He'll eventually catch on though…" She paused for a moment. "But then…you never did say you'd purchase Luxord, right? Only that you'd look for him…perhaps-"

"I can't do that to him," Roxas said in disgust. "He'd let himself dwindle back to nothing if I did…

"You can't play the role of hero forever, little brother," Larxene said as she crossed her arms, smirking at the young boy. "The real world demands your part in it…and now you need to act. I'm not sure what you see in this creature, but do understand that he is not the same as us. You can outsmart him, re-teach him…"

"But…"

Roxas couldn't find himself to finish.

"Exactly," Larxene said. "Now…I best get ready to leave. It's a long way to Clathora, and I do plan on visiting other small cities along the way…"

Roxas let his sister walk off, still staring hard at the marble floor.

He had axel right where he wanted him, but he could never keep it that way without doing things that he wanted no part of…

Roxas lifted his head up, staring at the decorated ceiling.

"Axel…"

* * *

I swear, this sites Doc really hates me. Half of this chapter was underlined, the other half italicized. Ugh...

Basically, if anything looks weird, tell me. Thanks.


	11. Yarrow

Gah, I really want to write some OP one shots. Not that anyone reading this really gives a damn about OP though. Currently mulling over doing another Twilight one shot, since I feel my other one is only half finished.

So little time on my hands…can't wait till winter break.

Semi filler chapter. Bascially so you can get an idea about what Zack does for a living, as well as get an idea about who the Hunters are. I plan to do more, but this will hopefully give you the main idea, as well as build some bonding with Demyx-cause we all love the fandom's whore.

Tina/Terra (depending on where you're from)-FFVI

Sephiroth-FFVII

* * *

-Chapter 11-

"Xigbar! Vincent! Tina!"

Demyx waved his hand as he saw the three walk out of the huge white building. As soon as he called out the blonde female turned and waved back, her usual stoic expression changing to a warmer and softer one.

"Demyx," she called out. She turned to the two males, "wait for just a second."

Tina walked over to Demyx, a hand on her side as she watched the older male run up to her.

"Tina," Demyx said, "where are you and Xigbar going?" He looked over her side and stared at Xigbar and Vincent. Neither looked very happy.

"We got sent over to so a weapon census," Tina said with a small frown.

"Well, that doesn't sound so-"

"Lord Xemnas had us deployed to do all major cities as well as his ports," Tina added. "Nobody is really excited to do this…"

"Whoa, all of them?" Demyx asked. "That's a lot…"

"I know, and Xigbar and Vincent just came back from their mission yesterday," Tina said with a nervous smile. "Two other groups have been deployed as well, via Hawk message, so they should be there by the time we arrive."

"Well, it shouldn't take that long then," Demyx said in an overly hopeful tone. "Still…I was hoping I would have time to ask Xigbar…"

"Ask me what?"

Demyx jumped as he turned around, facing the older Hunter. He covered his mouth to block his yelp as he stared up at the smirking Hunter.

"N-nothing," he murmured through the cracks in between his gloved finger. Demyx looked down, blushing just a bit. "It's a secret…"

Xigbar chuckled, "you found yourself a girl?"

"What? No!" Demyx pointed a finger up at Xigbar, shaking his head. "It's just a secret is all…Tina can't know!"

"I'm right here," Tina said with a small pout.

Demyx groaned. "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way." He sighed, trying to look away from either Hunter as he mulled over the conversation between him and Balthier had shared a while ago.

It would be a filthy lie to say that he hadn't thought it over a few times since hearing about it. Demyx had an amazing opportunity arising, and something like this simply wouldn't last forever. Nekos were scare found, and they would only become harder to find as time went on. Demyx had contemplated as to what Xigbar might say to him if he did ask for advice or help, but Demyx really didn't want to wait so long for a chance of freedom. Balthier was so close to freedom, and was only getting closer too! He had just been deployed not too long ago, and this mission had Guardians involved as well! That meant it had to be important. Soon Balthier would purchase his freedom and would be able to do as he pleased as a full citizen of the country.

Demyx wanted this…

"Hey, kiddo, you ok," Xigbar asked. "You look a little sullen."

Demyx sputtered, "well…you-ou see, it's about money…"

Xigbar frowned, "that the hell did you do this time?" He crossed his arms and gave Demyx a very disappointed look.

"No! No! No!" Demyx said, shaking his hands. "It's definitely not what you think! Trust me, it's very important…."

I need your help! Please help me find a Neko in between breaks…I'll give you some of the cut. Anything. I just wanna get out of here faster…

"I…I'll tell you when you get back," Demyx said, letting out a huge breath as the last words forcefully escaped his breath. He felt his chest tighten a bit.

"Are you sure?" Xigbar stared worryingly at Demyx. "If it's a problem-"

"It can wait," Demyx said.

"This mission might take a while," Tina added. She also seemed a bit worried for Demyx as well. Demyx did his best to not notice. "What will you do till then?"

"Oh, you know, probably take a recon or escort mission, nothing too hard, but something to fill my time with," Demyx said in a nonchalant tone. "You guys go on ahead. Don't worry about me."

Coward, coward, coward…

"Well," Xigbar said, "I guess we'll be on our way." Xigbar placed a small smile on his face. "If something does come up…don't be afraid to send a hawk over or something."

Demyx gave a small nod. Well, Xigbar didn't look too bothered. Hopefully he didn't come off as suspicious or anything. He still remembered what had happened when he had bumped into that other Hunter…

Demyx twitched a bit as he felt a hand roughly go through his hair. He groaned and looked up at Xigbar, frowning.

"Xig!"

Xigbar laughed. "Take care of yourself kid, and try not to get yourself into any trouble on those recon missions."

Demyx grabbed the others hand and yanked it off his head. He felt his face heat up as he heard Tina laugh.

"Get out of here," Demyx said, trying to fix his disheveled hair. "Vincent's waiting for you…"

Demyx continued to desperately fix his messed up hairdo as the two walked off. He kept himself from looking back as he wondered what he was to do now. He couldn't possibly send a letter to Xigbar. Capturing and selling Nekos was not allowed, it had already been made clear to him. He knew he could trust Xigbar to not mention it, but he wasn't sure about anyone else. He liked Tina, but he couldn't rely on a pretty face alone. And Vincent was pretty mysterious too…

Demyx walked over to a bench and sat himself down, staring off into the crowded streets. It would be a while before Xigbar got back. Xehanort owned quite a bit of land, and most of his cities and towns were developed.

"Maybe I should go on a mission," Demyx asked himself, pondering out his choices.

* * *

If Marluxia had known he would have a visitor of some sorts he would have made sure to ready himself. He would have actually committed to getting things done, rather than spend his morning in bed with Luxord, then a good hour or so bathing. He would have made sure, dammit.

Marluxia had just started with lunch, having missed breakfast, when it happened. He had received no word that there was someone at the gate, that there was a visitor who had entered his city, towns, his territory! No warning whatsoever. So what a surprise it was when several servants ran into the dining hall, pulling his attention to the door where the dark cloaked visitor stood.

"General Sephiroth," Marluxia said in a rather surprised tone. His hand shook a bit, almost causing the cup in his hands to spill a bit of the tea.

Of course, there was no way to predict that this man would be arriving. For the country's greatest general, meetings were either scheduled way in advanced or out of the blue. This, of course, was the latter. This also made Marluxia rather nervous.

"Marluxia Auramil," the silver haired main said. He gave a small bow to the man. He stood up in an overly proud stature, his emerald eyes gleaming with power.

Marluxia stood up from his seat.

Sephiroth. Of all the days for him to show his face. What did the man want right now?

"What brings you here," he asked, looking away over to the window. He could see two Guardians and Hunters outside the courtyard.

"Nothing of real importance," the man said in his stoic tone. "I just need to complete one simple task, and I'll be on my way."

"And you've brought Hunters?" Marluxia folded his arms.

"There is no need to worry," Sephiroth said, walking over to the young man. He gave a small, cool smile to Marluxia, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. Marluxia flinched just a bit.

"I can't help it," Marluxia said with a nervous smile. "A man such as yourself, here, of all places, at a time like this…"

"You shouldn't worry if you have nothing to hide," Sephiroth said, removing himself from Marluxia. He walked back to the door. "I'm not here for any of that business anyways…" He turned to Marluxia. "I'm here to check on your Magi."

Marluxia slowly nodded his head. So, the general wasn't here for a surprise search or anything that could lead him into trouble. Not that he had anything to hide….aside from a sleeping Neko. But even that wasn't enough to raise questions. Still, it had made him a bit nervous. He was still nervous. In fact, he was very nervous.

"Why do you need to see Aerith," Marluxia asked defensively. He tried to hide the worry behind his voice. "Nothing….happened, right?"

"Guardian Zack is fine, you have nothing to worry about," Sephiroth replied. His expression hardly changed a bit. "I'm on a routine census mission, and I've come to merely make an account on the amount of immigrants living within the area." He smirked. "You've nothing to worry so far…"

"She wasn't home," Marluxia asked. "Or are these missions of yours assigned on a whim?"

"Marluxia?"

Both Marluxia and Sephiroth turned their attention to the young woman at the entrance of the room. Aerith stared worryingly at the two of them.

"Oh," she said, shaking her head and looking down from the both of them. "I'm so sorry…I forgot…" She looked back up to Sephiroth. "I hope you didn't wait too long…I'm so sorry. I was out getting some books for a friend of mine…"

Marluxia glanced at the small bag in Aerith's hand. So, she had been out all this time?

"I had to go to the delivery post," Aerith added, looking over to Marluxia. "I hope you weren't too overworked since you were working alone, Marluxia." She gave the man a small frown. "And you had to entertain the General too…"

Marluxia blushed a bit. Oh, if she had any idea what he had been doing all this time…

"Nonsense," Sephiroth said, walking over to Aerith. "I've only just arrived to this mansion. Your employer didn't have to do a thing."

"He didn't?" Aerith looked up to Sephiroth. "But I still had you walk all the way to the mansion."

"It's not a problem," Sephiroth said. "As long as I get the information I need, then I'm satisfied." Sephiroth looked over to Marluxia, then back to Aerith. "We'll need a private room; I can't be asking you personal questions with your employer around, especially money questions…"

"Of course," Aerith replied. "If you don't mind, we can hurry back to my home…"

"Any room here will do quite fine," Marluxia said with a generous smile. "I don't mind a bit."

Aerith turned to Marluxia, "Are you sure?"

"Go ahead, Aerith," Marluxia replied. "I don't want you running back and forth all day. You seem a bit tired already from your morning chores…"

Aerith nodded her head, smiling at Marluxia.

"Well then," Sephiroth said. He stared down at Aerith. "Lead the way, Miss Gainsborough."

Marluxia stood silently as he watched the two leave the room, his arms crossed and the forced smile still on his face. As soon as both were far enough he gave a huge sigh, hurrying over to the door to close it. He leaned against the closed door, shaking his head as he brooded a bit.

Aerith…he had completely forgotten about her.

What if she had been here? While he was cleaning up or changing into less wrinkles clothes or just lying around in Luxord's room?

Surely she would have noticed that he wasn't hard at work, and she would have noticed other things as well. Why he wasn't in his room, or the garden, or lounging about in his other favorite spots? And what if she had decided to check up on Luxord? It could have been anytime during which he was out of the room, and she would have definitely noticed something unusual was going on.

Marluxia's face heated up from embarrassment and frustration. How could he have been so stupid?

Right, because he wanted sex.

"I need to be more careful," Marluxia muttered as he removed himself from the door. He looked over to the table where his neglected meal was. He stared at it disdainfully. If Sephiroth hadn't already destroyed his appetite, then his stupidity had done so.

* * *

"One last mission?"

Zack pouted a bit, his hands on his hips as he stared disappointedly at Angeal. No sooner do they leave Troga, with the intent of going home, do they receive word of another mission. The Guardian groaned miserably as he tried not to flop down into the grass and moan.

"It was a spur of the moment decision," Angeal replied, handing the sheet of paper to Zack. "Apparently we're to meet with a Hunter…." Zack to the sheet in his hands, the same upset look on his face as he began to read through it.

"A Hunter," Kunsel asked. "Are we doing a joint mission?" He turned to Zack, a smile on his face. "Shouldn't take too long if we have that kind of manpower with us!"

Zack stared at the few lines that were written on the paper. A small frown appeared on his face as he read the very last line.

"It shouldn't take too long," Angeal said, "nor should it be too hard for us three to handle." He placed a hand on Zack's head, ruffling it a bit. "You've nothing to worry about."

Zack pouted. "That's not why-"

"Thinking about your girl," Kunsel asked with a smirk. He chuckled a bit as he grabbed the sheet from Zack, hurriedly reading through the mission report. His smile quickly faded "…a clean up mission?"

Angeal silently nodded his head.

Kunsel looked back to Zack, seeing that his expression hadn't changed since his comment. "Right, I forgot you don't like these kinds of missions…"

"They put up such a fight," Zack muttered. "They're not even given a warning…it's just not fair." He looked to Angeal. "And I have to be a part of this?"

"If you plan to reach my rank someday," Angeal replied. He sighed. "Look, Zack, I understand you don't like having to do these kinds of things…but it's our job to keep peace. We can't have a free Hunter roaming about now, can we? They're too strong and there's no guarantee that they'll abide to the rules of society once they gain enough to buy their freedom back."

"I know, I know," Zack said. "I guess I'm too sentimental." He looked down to the dirtied floor and sighed. "And here I thought I'd be going home soon…."

"I'll make sure this is your last mission till the end of spring." Angeal smiled. "After all, you have your future family to think about…it would be wrong to make you do another term."

Zack smiled weakly, "yeah, you're right."

"So, this Hunter," Kunsel started, "has he been already sent to go on his next "mission"?"

"He should be on his way," Angeal replied. He turned to the young man, "Zack, are you ready?"

Zack looked up to Angeal. Equipment wise; yes…but…

The young Guardian took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Yeah," he answered. "I'm ready…."

* * *

"You'll be married to Zack soon, correct," Sephiroth asked as he stared out the window, looking into the colorful garden. "You must be excited."

"I am," Aerith replied. She smiled at the general as she lifted her head up a bit. "I'll be glad enough once he gets back…"

"Things will be easier once you two marry," Sephiroth replied. "Once you become a citizen of this country and no longer have to rely on paying your own taxes these meetings between us will cease to be." Sephiroth glanced over and stared at Aerith's confused expression. "I bet that will put ease into your mind."

"I don't mind these talks we have," Aerith replied. "And the tax isn't all that bad either…I'm doing my part for this country."

"A woman shouldn't have to pay a tax," Sephiroth muttered. "Nor should she have to worry about meetings with this country's war general."

"Many would consider the latter to be an honor," Aerith said with a cheery smile. "Of course, having to wait so long just to become a citizen in the country I spent half of my life is a bit tiring." She rested her hands on her lap, resting comfortably in her seat. "But even then, I cannot really complain. I've been treated very well since I've arrived here eleven years ago."

"I know," Sephiroth replied. "Your employer pays you more than enough. Quitting this job once you marry would actually put a damper on things."

"I think you know by now Marluxia doesn't pay me for my work, whatever chores he deiced to put on me," Aerith said.

"Paying you for your company doesn't sound very professional," Sephiroth answered, "but I know the man well enough to see that he doesn't need an extra hand." Sephiroth crossed his arms. "Then again…he has brought another into this sanctuary of his…"

Aerith frowned.

"Do not be so surprised," Sephiroth said, smiling just a bit. He walked over to Aerith and sat down on the armchair that was opposite of hers.

"How long?" Aerith asked. "Just out of curiosity."

"Since steeping foot on these grounds," Sephiroth replied. He smirked. "Marluxia already caused an uproar hiring a woman, and one from another country, to do his biddings…now he has a fiend under his wing?" Aquamarine eyes looking deeply into Aerith's, "he's really looking to make a name for himself, isn't he?"

"Well, I wouldn't say Luxord was here to replace me, though I suppose Marluxia could if he had the time to commit to teaching Luxord all the tasks I do for him," Aerith muttered.

"Luxord?"

Aerith nodded her head, "that's his name." She looked over to the bag that she had left against her chair. "He's been here for quite a while now…"

Aerith looked back to Sephiroth. The man seemed to be staring off into space, contemplating over a few things. His eyes did soon lower down to the bag, carefully examining what little he could from it. Aerith tensed up a bit as she waited silently for him to respond.

"…that-"

Aerith jumped a bit. Sephiroth pointed to the bag next to Aerith.

"….those are reading books from Juda?" Sephiroth asked.

"Y-yes," Aerith exclaimed.

"Why not purchase ordinary books here," Sephiroth asked. "You're planning on teaching this Feline fiend to read and write? Why spend the extra coins to package a book from far down south when you could just buy one here for less?"

Aerith smiled, "well…I think these books would do him better. People from the south write a bit differently from us. A few words are spelled different, and are written in a different style as well…I think it would be easier on him."

Sephiroth shook his head. "Adding an "e" here or swirling an "L" there makes no real sense. Why teach him improper old English?"

"He's from the south," Aerith answered. "And he can already write…at least, he could write his name."

"He's from the south…?" Sephiroth frowned. "Juda doesn't condone slavery to Neko's. Only Knolling, and they've adopted our spelling system years ago." Sephiroth smirked as he took a cup from the ignored tray and poured himself some tea. "Perhaps he stole this bag?"

"It was a bag made from hide," Aerith said confidently. "And was decorated with bead made from smooth stone not found from regular earth…"

Sephiroth went silent as he placed his cup down.

"…what are you saying?" He asked.

"There is a volcano in the center of the great forest," Aerith continued. "Over these past few weeks I've done my own research. I know he's from there…"

Sephiroth paled a bit.

"Does it seem odd that he would know how to spell?" Aerith stood up from her seat, walking over to where Sephiroth sat. "Or does the fact that we have a Neko who would know his way through that unknown forest bother you?"

"Both."

"Well then, I suppose you ought to know that he wouldn't help you navigate through the forest, no matter how many times you would ask." Aerith glanced outside the room, looking out into the hall. "He can't remember a thing about where he came from."

Sephiroth chuckled, taking the cup in his hands.

"There usually tends to be a catch to these sorts of things," Sephiroth said. He took a sip from his cup and looked up to Aerith. "But I am a bit disappointed…"

Sephiroth got up from his seat and looked down to Aerith, giving her a small bow. Aerith bowed back, her expression no longer shaken.

"Hopefully this will be the last time I have to visit you," Sephiroth concluded. "And hopefully your employer knows what he's doing…not many would hire a human in that state, let alone a fiend."

"Thank you for your concern," Aerith replied. "But I'm not entirely sure what sort of fate awaits Luxord…not even Marluxia. He's not a slave, nor is he a servant of this mansion. And I don't think Marluxia would replace me with him for my so called job…" Aerith smiled, "but I do hope that we'll be married soon, Zack and I."

"I hope too," Sephiroth said.

"Do you want me to walk you to the entrance," Aerith asked.

"No, I'll be fine," Sephiroth said. "I need to be on my way and finish the rest of the census." The silver haired man walked out of the room and silently drifted down the hall, thinking to himself as he made his way down to the lower level of the mansion.

Young Aerith would hopefully be a citizen of the country soon, and right now her citizenship would mean a great deal to the people of this country. Magi from Teladorne could be very useful in times of war. However, Teladorne had closed itself from siding with anyone. Their people kept to themselves ever since the discovery that their werewolves and citizens were being captured for creation of hybrids. He himself was not completely involved in the duties of the Hunters, but he did worry about how long they would be able to stretch the amount of DNA the organization had.

And then there were the Guardians… If Zack ever produced a son, there was a chance they could draft the child when he was old enough. A male Magi wasn't nearly as strong as female Magi, unless they were born from a Magi Primus, but it was a Magi nonetheless. If his Hunters were going to lose power, then he might as well make sure his Guardians were up to par.

Sephiroth turned his head over to the opened door, staring at the figure that was peering out at him. His eyes focused on the long tail and large ears, making note of the physical differences that he was used to seeing when his eyes laid on one of these creatures. He smirked eagerly as he realized that the Neko was, in fact, from the south.

Sephiroth gave a slight bow as he passed by the blonde Neko, not saying a word as he continued to make calculations in his head.

…perhaps he would visit this mansion again…

He raised his head, his eyes no longer on the Neko as he continued through the hall. He heard the Neko behind him take a step out of his room, obviously curious to see just who he was.

….but not for a long time….

* * *

"A Magi Primus," Luxord asked curiously.

"His mother," Aerith said, her hands moving about as she and Luxord continued to chat with one another. "Sephiroth has amazing abilities, although he only appears to be human. He can use magic freely, and without ever worrying about it stealing energy from him."

Luxord's eyes widened. "Magic?"

Aerith chuckled, "right…you don't know about magic yet, do you?"

Marluxia stared down at his plate, which was pretty full. Today had been too long for his liking. He knew he shouldn't have felt so threatened by Sephiroth…but he was. And he knew he shouldn't have felt so worried when Aerith asked him why he hadn't gotten anything done. And right now….he shouldn't feel so left out just because Luxord was asking some stupid questions!

"Can you or Marluxia use magic," Luxord asked eagerly.

Marluxia lifted his head up. Luxord had said his name…

"I can," Aerith said, "but I would need a permit in order to use it for recreational purposes."

"Why so," Luxord asked.

"Magic can be destructive," Marluxia stated.

Luxord and Aerith turned over to Marluxia, who had been very quiet the whole time the three had been together. Marluxia poked at his meat with a fork as he stared at Luxord.

"You need a permit to show that you'll be using it for professional use only, such as doctoring or hunting," Marluxia said ever so casually. He let his fork fall down to his plate as he leaned in his chair. "Aerith does paperwork, and I'm lord of several towns and cities-we have no real need to use magic. The only exception would be if you were a Hunter or Guardian, and even they have restrictions placed upon them."

Marluxia continued to eye at Luxord. He liked it. He liked that Aerith wasn't getting the attention for once. Honesty, he had never been treated like this after sex. Normally there would be arms around him after this, as well as a bunch of swooning. Memory or not, Luxord should have some idea as to how to act after such actions. Didn't he think about its value? Did he even know of its value?

"Magic can heal," Luxord muttered.

"Hmm?"

Marluxia turned to Aerith, his arms resting on the table as he saw the worried look developing on her face. He closed his eyes as he sank right back to his seat.

"It doesn't work that way," Marluxia said. "Magic cannot fix memory, age, or death…only bones."

"Trust me, Luxord, if there was a way, I would have looked into it," Aerith said, placing a hand on the Neko's shoulder.

Luxord smiled kindly at Aerith. "I know, I know. It was merely a thought."

Marluxia paled a bit as he saw that smile.

…were Nekos down south monogamous? After all, it was pretty hot down there, and it would be pretty hard to resist not taking a half naked female for yourself during the long day. There was so little he knew about the species. What if Luxord was used to things like this? What if sex was just another way of saying "hello" to him?

Marluxia downed his glass of whine as he tried not to think about it. Aerith and Luxord were already talking up a storm….he ignored that as well.

God, why was he already so jealous? Luxord obvious worshiped ever word he spoke, so why was this bothering him?

It definitely was not love. No. He enjoyed the Neko's company, and he enjoyed the sex. But there was no love behind it. Marluxia had slept with women before, and he enjoyed their company as well, but he didn't love any of them.

Was it the attention? The fact that Luxord was a male he could be close to without having to fear rejection? Was it the innocence that he currently possessed?

Maybe.

…

…

…

"…Luxord?"

Marluxia felt a bit of movement beside him as he continued to stare up at the ceiling. He slowly turned his head and met up with glowing blue eyes.

"What is it?"

Marluxia wanted to smile. That voice was so quiet. He refrained from doing so, remembering the question he had wanted to ask.

"You like Aerith, right?" He made sure to keep his voice as cal as possible. Despite what he and Luxord had just finished doing, he was still very alert.

"Of course," Luxord answered. He, unlike Marluxia, saw no reason to be alert or nervous or worried. He didn't see the threat of being caught with Marluxia, nor did he have anything to really worry about. He was tired.

"If you could place a label on her, anything at all, what would it be," Marluxia asked. His voice trembled just a bit with eagerness to know. "Just tell me what you see in her…"

He watched Luxord move about in the sheet, sitting himself up as he thought about the question. No questions asked either. Marluxia liked that, he liked not having to be asked about his incentive when he asked Luxord things. There were never any repercussions with Luxord. Marluxia moved just a bit, feeling something swish from side to side within the covers. Now Luxord was alert.

"…a leader," Luxord finally answered, his head turning down to Marluxia.

Marluxia tilted his head, trying to get a better look at Luxord. He was…kidding, right? Aerith…a leader. How could Luxord possibly see that in her? Yes, he was happy he didn't say "attractive" or "lovely" or something along those lines, but now he was worried on a whole new level. The fact tat Luxord didn't know a goddamn thing about leading meant he would have to make sure he was around when Luxord was making certain decisions. Granted, he loved Aerith like a sister, but women simply were not smart enough to lead an army or a large group of people…or a small group for that matter.

"Care to give an explanation," Marluxia asked, even more curious than before.

Luxord's expression hardened for a few seconds as he thought about the answer he gave.

"She…just is," Luxord answered. "I feel as though she fits this. She has a good enough personality, and helps keep everything in order…"

"Keeping the peace is a natural trait of women," Marluxia said, "but leaders need to do more than just make everyone feel loved and happy. They need to protect and defend…things that Aerith cannot do."

"…why not?"

"That's just proven fact," Marluxia said. He could see the disappointment in the Neko's eyes and sighed. "I'll explain tomorrow…when we have time to discuss the difference between us and the fairer sex." He let himself sink into the sheets, breathing a bit more slowly. Luxord looked up to Aerith…he could deal with that. As long as it remained that way, and it would remain that way. "Rest…it's late, and we can't be waking up later."

"Alright," he heard the blonde mutter. Marluxia closed his eyes as he felt Luxord cover himself up. He moved his legs a bit as he felt another swoosh from the Neko's long tail. He would have to get used to that sensation. Marluxia let his arms wrap around his pillow as he tried to drift off to sleep. "…pretty."

Marluxia's eyes opened a little.

"What," he muttered.

"Your label," Luxord answered. "If I had to place one on you, that's what it would be."

Marluxia couldn't believe it; Luxord sounded so damn confident!

Pretty? !

"So, let me get this straight," Marluxia asked. He withheld the urge to sound offended. He was angry at being called pretty. No, well he would prefer handsome over something so feminine, but after learning that Aerith received the role of leader, he couldn't help but feel he was getting the short end here. "I'm lord of this mansion, of the sever cities and towns surrounding it, and the word that best suites me, in your opinion…is _that_?"

Luxord nodded his head.

"I think it suites you quite well," he said, smiling at Marluxia.

"You know what that word means, right," Marluxia then asked.

"Of course I do, otherwise I wouldn't have used it," Luxord answered, that same stupid smile on his face.

"And Aerith, the girl who does any chores I'm too lazy to do, or just don't want to get done, the one who gets paid by me to get things done…she's a leader to you," Marluxia asked in an almost exasperated tone.

"Yes," Luxord said.

"…why?" It almost came out as a plea.

Luxord's expression didn't change.

"She takes very good care of you," Luxord answered. "And she makes sure all your work gets done on time. She always manages time to fit other things in her day as well…like me."

Well, Marluxia certainly couldn't deny this.

"Argument proven," Marluxia said. "But I would consider this more mothering than anything."

He paused for a moment, staring at Luxord's very awake expression.

"…what about me," he then asked. "Care to enlighten me as to why a man like me would be given such a word?" He smirked. "Can you give me your reasoning behind this one?"

Luxord chuckled, "that's rather easy to explain." He let a hand rest on Marluxia's face. "You're pretty…" Marluxia cold feel long finger graze across his face and into his messy pink hair. "And even though you do have this power, it's one of the things I notice the most…not the power, but _this_."

Thank god it was dark; otherwise Marluxia would feel so ashamed of the intense red that was probably coating his face. Then again….Luxord's eyes could probably make out the red anyways.

"Luxord?"

"Yes Marluxia," Luxord responded.

"Shut up."

* * *

Review, it's good for the soul.


	12. Begonia

Been awhile, right?

Axel and Roxas development here, as well as the return of a certain character.

Happy Reading!

* * *

Chapter 12

"You'll have to keep this on if we're to go to town," Roxas said to Axel as they both walked over to the carriage.

What he was talking about was the collar, the thing that bothered Axel to such a huge degree. Axel had asked just as he took his first step outside of the huge building, following Roxas and making his way to the carriage. It bothered his neck quite a bit, especially now being that he had to dress heavily in order to combat the cold weather. Of course, all those clothes made Axel uncomfortable as well, but there was no avoiding it. The collar though, it just didn't seem necessary for him to wear at all.

"Why not," Axel asked. He stopped and stared at the huge animals that were tied to the carriage. He had never seen such strange creatures. They looked like giant birds.

"You can get into quite a bit of trouble," Roxas answered. "All Nekos must comply and wear the collar that signifies their servitude to their master; otherwise they're seen as wild or escapees."

"…"

Were any of his kind free outside of home? Axel pondered whether going along with Roxas would be worth the trip. Roxas had offered him a small tour of the nearest town, telling him he could learn quite a bit from the outside world by showing him the infrastructure of the local economy. Axel had agreed, but only because he wanted to get his lessons over with and find Luxord as soon as possible. He didn't really care about human life; he had already figured it to be less than inviting.

"Are any…Nekos free," Axel asked, turning back to Roxas.

"There are a few," Roxas answered, "but none up here in the north are, unless they're wild."

"Wild?" Axel asked. "You mean…like me?"

Roxas nodded his head. The blonde opened the door and gestured Axel inside. The redhead looked inside the small compartment and hesitantly made his way inside. He stared at the seat and sat himself down, his hands grabbing on to his new, strange clothes. Axel didn't bother to look up as he felt the carriage wobble a bit, Roxas making his way into the confined space.

"There are three breeds of Neko," Roxas said. "You're a southern type."

Axel lifted his head up and stared peculiarly at Roxas.

There were other of his kind wandering about this land? And what did Roxas mean by southern type? Was he to assume that there were others that lived up in the north? In this cold?

"There are two other types," Roxas went on, smiling just a bit. Axel figured his expression must have amused the boy somehow, as though the realization that there were others like him was supposed to be common knowledge. "You have northern, which have small ears and tails. They have an extra layer of fur though, so it appears that their ears and tails are actually longer and larger. Their hands and feet are a bit larger too, and their claws are shorter, but a lot thicker than yours."

Axel couldn't help but want to ask why. It made no sense to him. You needed long tails to balance better when maneuvering around, and short claws would make climbing trees difficult. How could you assure that you were safe when your claws were too short to sink into the bark? Axel turned and looked outside the small window, staring out into the snowy plains.

There weren't too many trees.

But there were quite a few mountains. Some bigger than the ones that he had back home!

"The other specie are the ones that live on the islands, right by Haii," Roxas said.

"Haii," Axel murmured to himself. "What's a Haii?"

"It's a country," Roxas answered. "Like this one, though it's much bigger."

"You mean…there's more to this world?" Axel asked. "The land I'm on right now, it ends, right?"

"The land ends at the sea, but there are other pieces of land out there," Roxas answered. "Some of them are big, some of them are small."

"And there are Nekos that live on an island?" Axel asked.

"A small piece of land," Roxas said, "predicted to have broken from the south many years ago."

Axel's jaw dropped a bit. Land could break? But how? And how could his forest home have torn away without anyone noticing? Surely he would have been told such a story, something that that would have made such an impact…

"The Nekos there have taken the same skin color from those of Haii," Roxas said. "Their eyes are golden, sometimes silver, and their skin shines copper. But, for the most part, they appear as you do."

Dark skinned Nekos? But wouldn't that make them stand out more?

"Anyways," Roxas went on, "most free Neko in this country are from Haii. None of them are citizens of the country though, and I doubt they'd ever be, but they're allowed the same freedom as any other, so long as they follow the rules."

"Are there any free citizens?" Axel asked hopefully.

"A few Nekos are freed by their masters," Roxas answered. "But most of them leave for Haii, where they can be recognized as first class citizens."

Axel frowned.

"First class?"

"Yes."

"What does that mean?"

"It's rather difficult to explain," Roxas said in a hesitant tone. "You know very little about human ways…I doubt you'll take what I have to say with an open heart." He frowned and shook his head. "I'd rather you learn more important things first…"

Axel nodded his head, though deep inside he was quite frustrated with Roxas. He couldn't believe a child was treating him this way! Roxas acted as though he was ignorant to understand. Axel hissed under his breath as he remembered his current situation. He would have to get along with Roxas for now, at least until Roxas held his end of the bargain. Though, Axel doubted he would last long with Roxas. It was so hard to get along with the boy.

"..So when we get to the town, everyone will think I'm your…_slave?" _Axel asked in a very unenthusiastic tone.

"Well, of course," Roxas answered. "…But, you know Axel, technically you are my property. I bought you."

"You can't buy people," Axel muttered disdainfully.

"Correct, but you're not a person, are you," Roxas said. "You're a fiend. You're not the same as I. There's a difference between us."

"I don't see how that makes it alright," Axel said. "And for you to think so really worries me, Roxas."

"Don't be worried for my soul," Roxas said as he leaned forward a bit. "That's the last thing you ought to be lecturing me about…"

"…soul?" Axel asked.

"My point exactly," Roxas said.

* * *

Marluxia uttered a soft sigh as he stared up at the ceiling, not wanting to leave his bed.

Oh, he was not looking forward to today.

He leered over and the sleeping body that was curled up next to him. Marluxia groaned as he remembered the wonderful things that had occurred last night. Luxord was a quick learner, and for that, Marluxia was very thankful.

Unfortunately, just as things were beginning to look good, _this_ happens.

"Larxene," Marluxia muttered to himself.

She would most likely be coming over today.

Marluxia groaned again as he raised both his arms up and gave a good stretch before committing to the rest of his body. He lurched himself up, his hand rubbing his head as he gave a glance over at the window. He could see the sunlight, telling him Aerith would be over soon. Marluxia knew he would have to get up now, as well as Luxord. He couldn't have Aerith catching him, especially now Larxene on her way.

Marluxia let his other hand on the sheets, letting it slip through and navigate its way under till it found Luxord's shoulder. He let his fingers graze the warm body, curious to see whether he would get some sort of reaction from the sleeping Neko. Luxord continued to peacefully sleep, not taking any notice in Marluxia's play. He frowned.

"Luxord…" Marluxia said in a soft tone.

Of course there was no reaction to his calling, but he couldn't blame himself from trying.

No, when Luxord slept, he might as well be in a coma. If Marluxia was to try to stir him awake, he was going to have to shake him-roughly.

"Luxord," Marluxia said his voice not nearly as calming as it was before. His hand had grabbed hold of Luxord's shoulder and gave it a small shake.

Luxord made an incoherent sound and curled up more. Marluxia rolled his eyes and gave Luxord another shook, much harder this time.

"Wake up Luxord," Marluxia said, lowering his head. "Come on…"

"Mmm," Luxord murmured underneath the sheets.

"You have to get up," Marluxia said. He sighed and let go of the platinum blonde. Marluxia let his legs hang a bit before finally letting them touch the cold floor, muttering tiredly to himself as he forced the rest of himself up and out of the bed. He could hear Luxord move a bit, as well as give off something close to a whine.

"I want you up and clean in an hour," Marluxia said. "I need to discuss something important with you later, so hurry up."

"...what?" Luxord murmured through the sheets.

"We have a visitor coming over today," Marluxia said, grabbing fresh clothes from one of his drawers. "I'll need to go over a few rules with you…during the time she's here."

Marluxia heard the sound of sheets being moved about. Now Luxord was eager to get out, if only to figure out what was going on. Yes, Marluxia had laid out rules for Luxord, back when he didn't know whether Luxord was owned or not, but since then Marluxia gave Luxord freedom to do whatever he pleased, with only a few restrictions.

"…can't tell me now?" Luxord asked lazily.

"No, because if I do, you'll never get up," Marluxia said as he dressed himself. He turned and faced the Neko, who was still in bed, though Luxord was at least sitting up, and said; "I'll be taking a quick bath. I hope you'll be dressed and in your room preparing for the day when I'm out."

Luxord pouted.

"Sleeping all day isn't good for the soul," Marluxia added. "It makes you lazy."

"I don't mind," Luxord said with a small smile. He let himself fall back into the bed.

"Well, I do," Marluxia said, walking over to the messy sheets. He leaned over and stared down at Luxord. "We need to have everything ready for today. Larxene will be expecting everything to be perfect for her arrival."

"I thought you disliked her," Luxord said, his smile growing smaller.

"I do, but we can't let her know that," Marluxia said, lowering his head more so that the two were close. "She's a guest, and we treat our guests as we would like to be treated…no matter how annoying or intolerable they may be."

"That makes no sense," Luxord responded back. "If you don't like her, then why let her in?"

Marluxia smiled and kissed the Neko.

"I wish it were that simple, I really do," he muttered. Marluxia lifted himself back up. "But we all can't go by such simple, selfish logic…" Marluxia began to make his way over to the door. He could hear Luxord get out of the bed. "Don't worry though, she'll only be here to ruin the mood for a few days, a week tops!"

"A week…?"

* * *

Fuck.

Marluxia bit his lip as he undressed himself. He glanced over at the tub full of water and then over at the door.

He wished he could just lie in the water all day and pretend the outside world did not exist.

Larxene would definitely make things worse for him than anyone else in the castle. He knew Aerith would be less than thrilled to have to deal with the woman, and that would be as good as trash in her eyes, but Marluxia would have the worst of it.

Why?

Because he would have to be the one to tell Aerith he was sorry, and he would have to be the one to explain to Luxord why Larxene was such a horrid bitch.

If he was lucky, he would be able to explain to Luxord a good enough reason. Of course, honesty would probably make things a bit tense between the two. Nut Marluxia had a hard time thinking of any option; it wasn't like he could keep Luxord in his room till Larxene left.

Now that he thought about it, there wasn't much he could do with Luxord.

Larxene would probably let it pass if he was friendly with the blonde, but only because he never owned a slave of his own before, only having servants whom he treated with respect and friendliness. He could expect there would be comments, and he figured Larxene would try to teach him a few things, but it wasn't anything too problematic. But there was no way Marluxia could get away with being close to Luxord. There would be too much risk in sneaking into the Neko's room, or having Luxord go into his.

Marluxia sank into the warm water and closed his eyes.

Already this was bothering him.

He wanted the Neko all to himself, and now he was going to have to go without the extra attention till Larxene realized he wanted nothing to do with her…or till he gave in to her needs.

Marluxia slowly opened his eyes as the last few words sank into him.

And once he and Larxene…if they did…? …what would happen then?

Marluxia felt his teeth clamp tight together as he realized what a predicament he was in. It wasn't like he could continue his current sexual escapade with Larxene around…

Married to a woman like her, there was no way he could get away with sleeping around, especially with Luxord. Bad enough Marluxia would have to deal with her attitude, her rules, and her never-ending complaints; if he married her he would have to go without a sex life.

"…there's always Xion," Marluxia muttered to himself. "Or I can marry a girl from outside this country…as long as her family has a name." Xion was dumb enough and easy to control, and she was young enough to order around without having to worry about getting into trouble. Though, how he would persuade Vexen to hand his daughter over would be a huge difficulty.

A girl from outside the country could work, but Marluxia found that other cultures could be so…unsophisticated. People from Haii had strange superstitions, and women from Jhova and Teladorne practically ran the house on their own. And everyone else just wasn't an exception.

He was stuck with Larxene.

There came a soft knock on the door, causing Marluxia to drift away from his thinking. He looked over at the door and gave a soft sigh.

"Yes?" He asked.

"It's me," Aerith's voice said from the other side. "I was wondering if you were feeling alright."

Marluxia smiled, "I'm surprised you came. I thought you didn't get along with Larxene?"

"She doesn't get along with me, Marluxia," Aerith voice said though the door. "I try my best to work with her though, for your sake."

"Do you know what time she'll be over," Marluxia said loudly.

"Three hours time," Aerith said. "Perhaps less with this weather…"

"I see…"

Marluxia sank into the water, most of it covering his face.

There wouldn't be much time to talk with Luxord after this.

"I spoke with Luxord," Aerith said.

Marluxia lifted his head back up and turned back to the door. "What?" he asked.

"I told him about Larxene," Aerith said. "I'm sure you warned him about a few of her traits…but just to be sure…"

Marluxia felt a small pang of guilt hit him as he wondered what Aerith could have possibly said to Luxord. Even worse, how did Luxord react to what she had told him?

"What did you say?" Marluxia asked cautiously.

There was a long pause.

"Aerith," Marluxia said in a nervous tone. "_What did you tell him_?"

* * *

In the end, Axel couldn't bring himself to enter the town. From within the carriage he had seen so many people moving about, running around or raiding strange creatures or being carried in other carriages as well, and he had felt ok about it. He even saw a few others of his own kind, and it made Axel feel a little less lonely. He hadn't been allowed to associate with the others in the mansion, and being so close to another was a welcoming change. However, when Roxas had offered for them to exit the cramped space, all feelings of curiosity and excitement dwindled. Suddenly, Axel didn't feel so safe, and all he could think about was his situation in this strange world. He was a Neko, and people used them as slaves and servants. He had seen this. He had seen a few Nekos, and from what he could tell, they seemed alright, but that may not be the case. And what if a human demanded him to do something? Surely he would have to obey them, right? Was that not how slavery over another worked?

So it was a failure. Axel never stepped foot on the cold land, and he didn't show himself in front of the strange humans. Roxas seemed disappointed in him, but Axel felt devastated. He knew he had halted any progress of getting back home. And it killed him…

"Axel?" Roxas called out.

Axel looked over and stared at the boy who was sitting next to him.

The two were outside, several feet from the carriage, in the outskirts of the small town. From this distance, Axel didn't seem to mind being seen by any humans, as few as there were now. Axel could see a few humans ordering small, white, fluffily looking creatures around, but they were a distance away. Axel was comfortable where he was, cold winds aside. Axel kept his legs and tail close to him, trying to keep himself warm enough as he stared out at the amazing view.

"Yeah?" Axel huffed, his eyes locking on the steam that escaped his mouth.

He couldn't believe how big the world truly was. So many mountains lay ahead of him, each one covered in snow. According to Roxas, there were towns and a city located way up there…and deep within the woods were Northern type Nekos.

What was life up there like? It was so cold where he was, Axel couldn't imagine living high up in the mountains, where the air was thin and the weather was unpredictable. No tribes or triblets that he knew of lived on the huge mountain…

"What was your home like?" Roxas asked.

Axel's eyes widened, all his attention leaving the scenery as he stared shockingly at Roxas.

"Huh?" He asked.

"Your home," Roxas said. "What was it like?"

Axel couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Why do you want to know?" he asked. "I mean…I though you wanted to teach me your ways or something…not learn from mine."

"The best teachers were once students weren't they," Roxas said, smiling back. "I do want to try meeting you halfway though…it'll make things easier, you know?" Roxas inched his way closer to Axel, his arms crossing. "We ought to head home though…unless you want to stay a bit longer?"

"…I like this," Axel said.

"We'll stay a bit longer," Roxas concluded. He continued to stare at Axel. "But do you mind telling me a little about your history…your life?"

Axel huddled a bit before giving a sigh.

Where to start? Axel never really considered his life something to talk about. Axel never thought his life was special enough to talk about…

"Well…," Axel started off, pausing as he tried to think of something that might be of actual interest to talk about. "…I have a brother."

"A brother," Roxas said, giving a nod of approval. "Older or younger?"

Axel shook his head, "we from the same birth."

"Twins?" Roxas asked.

"What? What's a twin?" Axel asked.

Roxas shook his head. "Never mind, so you have a brother. Do you have any sisters?"

Axel nod his head.

"I have two younger sisters," Axel said with a small smile. "They were born during the cool season."

"I'm guessing they were born on the same day as well?"

"Well, yeah," Axel said with a small chuckle. "Would be weird if they were born a few days apart now, wouldn't it?"

"Ugh," Roxas said with a roll of his eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing," Roxas said. The blonde got up and jumped up and down a few times, rubbing himself in an attempt to keep his temperature up. It was amusing to Axel, but it did worry him a bit.

"We can go back, if you're really that cold," Axel said, getting up. He looked down at his clothes and brought his hands down to wipe away the specks of dirt and snow. "You don't have to stay out for me…you'll get sick."

Axel frowned as he saw the snow melt and sink into his pants. His frown grew as he felt wet warmth suddenly touch his skin.

"Gross," he muttered.

"Snow's just frozen water," Roxas said with a laugh. "There's nothing you can do about that." he turned around and began to make his way back to the carriage. "Come on…let's go. You can tell me more about your family on the way back."

Axel stopped his fruitless attempt to clean himself up as he looked up and smiled at Roxas.

"Ok, he said.

Axel lifted himself straight and followed Roxas. He looked up and stared at the clouded sky, squinted as he made out a few speckles that were floating down to the earth. It never snowed back home. It rained, but it never snowed. Guess it was too warm for it to snow.

"…your friend?"

Axel looked back at Roxas; "what?"

"What about your friend?" Roxas asked. "What was his name again…_Luxord_?"

Axel pouted. How was Roxas supposed to locate Luxord if he couldn't very well remember his name?

Axel sighed. "It's Luxord," he said. "What about him?"

"Does he have any siblings?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah, of course he does," Axel said. "Let's see, he's got his two sisters from the same birth, two older sisters from another, and a younger bother and sister."

"That's…a lot!" Roxas said in a shocked tone.

"Not really," Axel said. "Actually, my family is pretty small compared to anyone else. I'll admit, most don't have a third, but his family is still pretty average."

"A third?"

"His mother," Axel said. "Most of our women will usually have two births, so it was a bit unusual. But she did end up taking another mate, so I guess it was only natural…"

Axel silenced himself as he saw Roxas' strange expression. The boy had stopped walking, and they were still quite a distance away from the carriage.

"Mate," Roxas said in a peculiar tone. His eyes lowered as he slowly nodded his head. "Right, I guess it would be that word now, wouldn't it?" Roxas crossed his arms and thought about it for a few more seconds. "Axel, was his mother already with his father when she decided to take another mate?"

"Well, yeah," Axel said with a shrug. "You don't just break away from them. The only time two would separate would be in death or something just as serious."

"So…she had two men at the _same_ time?"

"Yeah," Axel answered, feeling a bit wary of Roxas' questions.

"Hmm…I guess something like that would be ok…for your kind…" Roxas muttered.

Axel nods his head, though he wasn't all too sure what Roxas had meant by that. Roxas soon went on, and the two made there way in to the cozy, but warm, carriage.

"Axel," Roxas said as the two sat in silence.

"What?"

"Do you know what marriage is?" Roxas asked with much interest.

Marriage? No, Axel had never even heard of the word before.

"No," Axel said.

"Do you want me to explain it for you?" Roxas asked the Neko.

"That would be nice," Axel said, as he looked out the small window.

"It's when you and another person make a very special agreement," Roxas said.

"Like a deal?"

"No, not like that," Roxas said. "It's when a man and a woman get together and decide to spend the rest of their lives together. They have children together, raise a family, and make business decisions together…they devote all their time to the other, and stay committed to just that one person." Roxas stared at Axel, who was now looking back at him. "Is that what a mate is…to you?"

Axel didn't have to think very hard about the comparison.

"No," he answered. "Not really."

"I see," Roxas said. "Then your lifestyle is more different than we thought." He relaxed into his seat and sighed. "It's a real shame that you don't experience the same traditions your northern cousins do."

"I don't see how," Axel muttered.

"Well, how could you?" Roxas said. "Spending your life with one person…not two or three, there's a huge difference."

"I don't see how," Axel said in all honesty. This was true. How could Roxas say there was a difference in the number of mates you had? His mother seemed just as happy with his father as another member who had two mates. Perhaps it had to do with ranking? Axel knew only certain members could acquire another mate, perhaps things worked differently up here? Was that what marriage was about?

But what was this decision? How do two people come to the same agreement, at the same time, over something as serious as that? And it seemed preposterous to spend all your time with just that one person. Axel couldn't bring himself to go a whole day listening to just his brother, or having to go through Yuna's never ending worries, or Rikku's annoyances, and he was supposed to believe that someone would spend all their time with another.

"I think your marriage thing is the stranger," Axel said finally. "You just don't know my ways…"

"Explain then," Roxas said. "Tell me about your parents."

"They were happy," Axel answered.

"Did either of them have another mate?" Roxas asked.

"No." Axel answered. "Neither of them were ranked high enough."

"Having a high rank means you can gain another mate?"

"Well, there are other things as well," Axel said, "but that is one of them."

"So your parents were not high in your social order?" Roxas then asked.

Axel shook his head, "No. Anyone is entitled to pick another. But you should never try to claim someone who's higher than you…"

"Why not?"

Axel couldn't come with an answer. He didn't have one. No matter where he looked, the only reason he could come up with was simply "that's just how it is" and "because you just don't". Axel knew those answers would not suffice to Roxas.

"It's foolish," Axel answered.

He watched the blonde stare at him for a long while before giving a nod.

"And Luxord's mother had two," Roxas then muttered. "A female in your race, in your society, took two males-no-_claimed_ two males?"

"Yeah, why not?" Axel asked with a shrug. "I mean, Celes was a healer, and she was a storyteller too. She knew so much about everything. Even when we moved around, she always knew where to find the freshest ingredients for medicines. And she's one of the few members who teaches the younger ones about our faith."

"You have a_ religion_? !" Roxas said in astonishment.

"She knows everything about our beginnings," Axel said. "Celes is a very special member…I don't see why it would be strange for her to have the authority to have more than one mate."

"The beginnings," Roxas said in a quiet tone. "You mean your creation? Your god?"

Axel smiled and nodded his head.

"It's her job to teach the younger members about how we came to be," Axel said.

"Yes, I suppose that would be a very important job. Religion and faith keeps the soul safe, assuming your religion promotes such," Roxas said in disdain. "…lets' go back to talking about mates and ranking, I'd rather we keep away from the religion topic for now…"

"Roxas?" Axel asked.

He could see that the talk had made the boy a bit angsty. Axel couldn't see why talking about such a subject would make another nervous.

"What's a soul?" Axel then asked Roxas.

Roxas had said the word before, and Axel had not known what it meant. And now Roxas had said it again, this time when making a comment about the beliefs he was taught.

"…not now, Axel," Roxas said.

"Why not," Axel said, getting over to the other side where Roxas sat. "I want to know what it is and what it means."

"because, Axel, your idea of what it may be, would be wrong," Roxas said, giving a small sigh. "If I were to attempt to explain it, no….there wouldn't be any way I could without correcting your idea about what the meaning of life is, or what god is, or what your place on this world is!"

Axel bit his tongue as he leaned against the corner.

There was a meaning to life?

Axel had always thought life was boring, at best, and that there was more to it. He knew that life back home was not satisfying enough for him, and leaving it in order to discover something greater would give him some sort of purpose…was that what Roxas meant?

But then, he was here, right now, with a strange collar around his neck. If there was a meaning he was supposed to find, then what did his current situation say about him? Or was this the meaning?

"Axel..?"

"Yes," Axel said, still lost in thought.

"Did you have a mate back home?" Roxas asked quietly.

"No," Axel said. "I…never got a real chance to find that person."

"Did anyone every try to…claim you," Roxas added on.

Axel smiled, "yeah…but I never saw him as anything more than a friend." Axel chuckled a bit. "Plus, I couldn't stand the thought of sharing him…so I would just fight back and do whatever I could to keep our relationship from growing too much." Axel's smile shrank a bit as he felt a small sharp pain hit him in the chest.

"_He_?"

Axel turned to Roxas.

"He who?"

"No," Roxas said, "I mean…another male wanted you?" Roxas face gave a small blush as his eyes darted around, trying to find something to fixate on instead of Axel.

"I also had girls flirt with me," Axel then added. "I was pretty popular…very popular."

He watched the boy's face heat up deep red and look away. Axel couldn't help but break into laughter. Roxas was such a child…

"Wasn't it a big deal that males wanted to claim you as a potential mate?" Roxas blurted out nervously. "I mean…two males…"

"I don't get it," Axel said.

"You know, two of the same can't have children, right?" Roxas then asked.

"I know where infants come front," Axel said in a modest tone. "I've seen it…"

"So, why let two men or two women waste a chance at having a normal family? If you can only have one mate, and you wanted children, wouldn't another male trying to keep you get in the way of that," Roxas said to Axel.

Axel shrugged.

"I never really thought of it that way," Axel said. "I mean…I knew everyone. Anytime I was approached, I knew them well enough, and got along with them…"

"But what about a family?" Roxas asked. "Wouldn't you want to have children of your own?"

"Well, it would be nice," Axel said. "But…even if I did pick myself a female, what if she didn't want children? I'd have to respect her wishes…"

"Wouldn't you be upset," Roxas asked.

"Of course," Axel said.

He frowned.

"But…you can't always get everything you want," Axel then muttered. He felt a guilty pang as he thought about Luxord again. Why did he drag him all the way out of here? "It would be wrong to think that you could have everything in the world, because everyone else wouldn't have enough. All you need is enough to be happy and content, there's no need to saturate yourself."

There was a long wake of silence, both Axel and Roxas either looking away or down in order to evade each others glance. Axel wasn't sure why Roxas was so quiet or indifferent about the talk, but in the end he could only conclude that life was different outside of his forest. A female having power or two males loving one another obviously was not normal to Roxas, otherwise his reactions wouldn't have been so alarming. And then there was the talk about religion and the, hopefully, eventual talk about what a soul was. Roxas had said he wanted to teach Axel, but so far it seemed as though Axel was doing the teaching.

"…can't always get what you want," Roxas muttered. The boy played around with his fingers and then gave a small cough.

"No, you can't." Axel replied. "You just can't."

* * *

Luxord rested himself against the window as he peered down below. He could see miles of trees developing green leaves and small buds, and from the distance he could make out colors of rooftops that made the village.

His icy blue eyes then lowered and locked on the deep red carriages that were rested in front of the manor. He could see a swarm of the servant girls, grabbing large items from the carriage and handing them to one another. Luxord recognized most of them, but a few of them, who were dressed in strange, heavy attire, he did not. Luxord could see Marluxia, standing proudly and smiling to the unknown female who had exited from the bigger, more luxurious carriage. Luxord couldn't deny that she looked rather appealing.

"She doesn't seem so bad," he muttered.

"You need to spend time with her," Aerith's cool voice said from behind.

"Marluxia said to stay away from her at all costs," Luxord responded, looking over to the older women.

Aerith let down her book and smiled at Luxord.

"And why do you think he told you that?" Aerith smiled as he continued with her reading. "He's trying to protect you from her…"

Luxord went back to staring, focusing all his attention to the blonde figure. She didn't look threatening, not in the slightest.

So, this was Larxene?

Marluxia had said she would be a pain, and Aerith had warned him that should would not be kind and treat him fairly. But all Luxord could see was a young woman, dressed up and smiling and looking quite lovely. Luxord wasn't sure why he had felt so worried this morning.

"A week doesn't seem so long," Luxord said.

"But if it is," Aerith said, "you're more than welcome to spend your time with me at my place."

"I know."

Luxord then glance out at the village, staring hard as he tried to make out all the buildings. It seemed very far away, although Marluxia had said it was only about two hours away on foot. Luxord had never been to the village. He had exited the front gated before, though only to take a look around the area. A quick look. He never felt comfortable enough to break away from the huge building. Luxord never found a reason to leave. Hearing Aerith's offer though, it did make him curious. She knew him well enough to know why he felt so safe here, so it did bring some worry that she was willing to take him away from the only home he knew just so he could avoid this woman.

"Larxene…and…Marluxia," Luxord muttered.

"A match made in heaven," Aerith said.

"Marluxia said people married out of love," Luxord said as he pulled away from the window. "Like you and Zack."

"Sometimes it's our duty to do things we don't wish to do," Aerith said to Luxord. "But we have to do them, no matter what."

Luxord didn't understand, and it caused a strange pain in him.

A very familiar pain.

* * *

Now, Roxas and Axel's conversation does bounce around a bit. But hopefully you were able to get a couple of things about Axel's life before the story.

Next chapter will have some LM...and I'll try to help develop some sort of AR relationship, since those two are still pretty indifferent.


	13. Larkspur II

I'm not even going to bother with a AN. Just read the damn thing. Now.

* * *

-Chapter 13-

_What is it?_

_You've never seen anything like that before…home never had creatures like that._

_…_

_…Blood._

_It's so small, how are you bleeding? How could it hurt so much?_

_Your arm's drenched._

_What are you going to do? You're being hunted, you have no idea where you are, and you're being surrounded. There's no way the two of you can pull through this…_

_You need to think of something-anything._

_Think!_

_Think…_

_"I have an idea…"_

Larxene peeked into the empty dining hall, walking in once she saw Marluxia resting at the table. A small smile appeared on her face as she floated across the room in her overly elegant dress. Marluxia, having noticed her since before making her appearance, continued to sit and stare at the food being brought into the room. He made no attempt to look at her, or her two servants following quick-yet smooth-pursuit.

"Good morning," he heard her say. Her voice, although it sounded kind and loving, irritated the hell out of him. He knew better than to believe that Larxene was this happy to see him.

Marluxia looked up and stared at the young woman standing next to him. She was dressed from top to bottom in very nice and expensive wear. Everything about her was perfect. And he could only guess why.

But a smile appeared on his face as he decided to go with it, pretending he didn't notice all this extra attention that she had given herself when applying her makeup or choosing her lively, bright spring colored dresses.

"Hello, Larxene," Marluxia said, He stood up from his seat and walked closely to Larxene. "Why, you're looking absolutely lovely this morning!"

Larxene's smile grew with delight.

Marluxia pulled the chair next to him out a bit, trying his best to not roll his eyes from annoyance as he did.

"Sleep well?" He asked.

Larxene took her seat right next to his, and Marluxia watched as her smile faded quite rapidly.

"Actually," Larxene said. "There is something I would like to talk about."

He was already regretting asking.

"And what would that be?" He asked, sitting himself down. He made quick glances at the doors, sighing to himself and thankful that, aside from the servants, whose opinion did not matter, they were alone.

"Your fiend was walking in the halls at night," Larxene answered.

"Was he?"

"Yes, I'm quite sure of it," Larxene said. "I hear something last night, passing by my door. I knew it had to be him." Larxene picked at her silverware and frowned. "I think you need to do something about it."

Marluxia slowly nodded his head.

"Couldn't you lock the door or something?" Larxene then asked.

"Well, yes, I could," Marluxia said. He looked away for a moment and stared out the window. "But…I think that would be rather drastic, seeing that nothing happened."

"Something could have happened," Larxene said. Marluxia watched as the remains of her soft demeanor completely faded. "And it just bothers me that you didn't better prepare for my arrival. What if I got hurt?"

Luxord did not walk around the halls last night. Marluxia knew this because it was him, not the Neko that decided to leave his room in the middle of the night. He knew Luxord stayed in his room because he was there with him, and Marluxia was sure he would have noticed Luxord leaving.

Marluxia kept quiet though, refusing to say something and contradict Larxene's complaints. It was far too early for him to be dealing with her yells and screams, so he continued to nod his head in agreement and pretend to do something about it later on.

"You're absolutely right," he said smoothly. "I should have made sure…"

"Mhmm," Larxene said, resting her arms on the table. So very unladylike.

"I'll have a talk with him later on," Marluxia said, "don't worry yourself."

"Thank you," Larxene said, smiling once more.

"Is there anything else I can assist you with?" Marluxia said. His face hurt from forcing the smile. "Anything to make your living arrangements more comfortable?"

"_Actually_," Larxene said.

Why does she want to talk so goddamn much?

"I'm a little curious about your current living arrangements…"

How so?" Marluxia asked. His voice was raised a bit. Larxene didn't seem to notice.

"I've had a talk with some of your servants," Larxene said, now crossing her arms.

"Oh, you have, have you?" Marluxia asked, looking over at some of his maids.

"Don't worry," Larxene said, "they've said nothing incriminating about you. Though, there are a few things that do bother me."

"Like what?"

"You have a room, and a very nice one at that, reserved for that assistant of yours," Larxene said. "The red one, ordained with decorative rugs and rosaries?"

"What of it?"

"That room once belonged to your mother," Larxene said.

"And now it belongs to Aerith," Marluxia said. "A fine room for her to use."

"But why give her such a wonderful room?" Larxene asked. She was frowning once again.

"What if it was late at night, and I couldn't have a carriage arranged for her?" Marluxia asked. He almost glared at her. "Would you have her walk in the night, alone?"

Larxene bit her lip and silenced herself.

"Aerith has proven to me to be a more than reliable assistant, "Marluxia said. "And she's gone beyond her duty to help keep this place in order. I'd be a mess without her." Marluxia stared at the table, now covered with different plates of foods. "If she needs a place to rest, relax, or spend the night, then she's more than welcome."

"That room is two doors down from yours," Larxene muttered bitterly.

"Aerith is engaged to be married," Marluxia said sternly.

"I know," Larxene said.

"I'd never do that," Marluxia said in an offended tone. "And I'd like to think you'd know me well enough to not do that." He let his hand out and shifted to the food. "Help yourself," he said in a somewhat forced tone.

Larxene looked at the array different meals that had been prepared for breakfast. Marluxia got up from his seat and made his way over to one of the doors, but not making it far enough before Larxene took notice.

"Where are you going," she asked impatiently.

"I need to think," Marluxia answered.

He took a few more steps before Larxene spoke once more.

"I'm sorry about the fight," she said.

Despite wanting nothing more than to hate her, Marluxia found himself moved by her obvious shame and embarrassment.

He turned and faced Larxene, staring at her quietly. She stared back, her hands folded politely and her eyes focused heavily on his.

"Alright," he said.

* * *

What a terrible dream.

Luxord lay on the bench, staring up into the sky, letting himself be sucked into it as he tried his best to remember the faded voices and images that he had seen while he slept.

He remembered waking up with a sweat. His heart was racing and his body shaky and weak, as though everything he had seen had really just happened. But Luxord had woken up in his room, alone and safe from wherever this scenes had occurred.

Luxord blinked, tired despite the day not being halfway through.

His eyes looked over to the side. He could see Larxene from a distance, with one of her servant girls, at the very end of the garden. He wasn't quite sure what they were talking about. Luxord watched as Larxene continued to make gestures to the young girl, her hand waving and pointing at everything. It must have been important since, although eh couldn't hear her very well, she was being very vocal. Luxord would catch every other word. He made no attempt to connect them together and decode whatever she was talking about.

It had been three days since Larxene had arrived, and since her arrival there had been a lot of changes. Most of these changes were not good. At all.

Although Marluxia had visited him last night, he spent most of his time with Larxene. And even though Luxord enjoyed sex, he'd much rather have the days than just the one night.

And Larxene made her opinion on his existence known. Whenever the two were together, she'd make some sort of remark. Sometimes, upon entering a room, she's look around to see if he was there. Luxord had made eye contact with her once, while studying the letter that Aerith had given him, and she made a face and left. Were it not for the fact that Luxord had been distracted over learning the letters, he would have been upset at the time.

There were times where he was very frustrated with Larxene. He couldn't even approach her without something negative happening. And whenever he thought about talking to Marluxia about his problems and worries, he would be approached by the man and asked to simply bear with it.

And Aerith mentioned marriage? Between these two?

Larxene was cruel. She was intolerable. That beautiful woman that had stepped out of the carriage was nothing that he had suspected.

How long would she be here again?

Luxord closed his eyes and relaxed himself. He needed to think of something else…

What did he dream about? He could remember bits and pieces, but nothing that he really wanted. He wanted to remember the voice that had spoken to him. He wanted to see the face that he had turned to when he had felt to scared and helpless. The pain had eased just a bit when he heard that voice, and felt so much more hopeful. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't grasp it.

It made his head ache.

Luxord heard the sound of dirt being crushed under weight, and he opened slowly opened his eyes and looked over to see Larxene and her servant walking over. He didn't react until he noticed they were taking the trail that would eventually lead the two to meet up with him, which was something Luxord did not want. He sat himself up, groaning tiredly and rubbing his head before getting up completely and walking over to a nearby tree. He'd rest in there, hidden from her view. Luxord stopped just as he reached the base of the tree and turned around.

He had left his boots by the bench.

Luxord leered at the two approaching figures and sighed. There was no way he could get the boots without being seen now. Luxord turned his attention back to the tree and jumped into it.

…

…

"Such a wonderful garden," a soft voice said. "It would a shame to add an obedience shed to it."

"Now Relm, you know we can't have slaves wandering about the property, doing whatever they please."

That was Larxene's voice.

Luxord looked down, focusing hard on the conversation being held.

"I hope you don't plan to place the slave household here," the voice, Luxord assumed it to be Relm's, said. "It would such a shame to add such a depressing scene to the garden."

"Of course I won't add the household here!" Larxene said. "They'll be placed at the back of the property. I'll have to see if we could have a fence installed around it, to keep them all in."

"And you're sure Marluxia would be willing to buys a lot of them?"

What were they talking about?

"Why not?" Larxene asked. Luxord could see their figures pass by underneath him. He watched the two pass by, not taking any notice of his presence. Luxord was very thankful. "He already ones one…I'll just ask for another. And then another. Over time he won't mind if I ask for two or twenty!"

There was something about her words that made Luxord feel uncomfortable.

What did Marluxia already have one of?

Luxord didn't need to think too hard to figure it out. Larxene's attitude towards him, as well as what Marluxia had mentioned about his kind before, only helped aid the answer. Luxord retreated deeper inside the brush as he tried to figure out what this could possibly mean for him. He sat himself in a branch and pondered over everything Marluxia had told him about his kind. He knew they were used. He didn't know all the details, but he was sure it was mainly for the humans' advantage. Marluxia treated him well here, but as long as Larxene was around he would be treated poorly. The longer she stayed the worse for him.

Luxord could still hear Larxene's voice, though now it was at a distance. He couldn't make out the rest of the conversation she was sharing with the girl. He could only imagine what Larxene would do with him once she permanently reigned as a member of this mansion. He knew it was a selfish thought, but the last thing he wanted was her staying here. He didn't care that Marluxia had duties to get married. Surely Marluxia could find someone else, another female worth spending his life with…

A heavy feeling overtook Luxord at this very thought.

But wasn't Marluxia supposed to get married? Yes.

And any other female would be better than Larxene, right? Yes.

Luxord frowned. He knew Marluxia had to marry. He knew it had to be a female human. And it bothered him so much. For some reason, Luxord found himself angered and hurt over this. He couldn't think why though.

Why?

Luxord grabbed at his head, wincing a bit as he felt a sharp pang hit the side of his head.

_You want to go too…_

Go, go where? Luxord rubbed at his head as he tried to figure out what had just happened. That voice, he recognized that voice. It was so familiar. Where did it come from?

_What, may I ask, are we looking for?_

His voice. His words.

Luxord blinked. He was astonished. He remembered saying these words before, to someone else. Was it the other voice he had heard before?

_…a place to start over…_

_Start over?_

_Yeah, the two of us._

Luxord felt a horribly painful feeling grow within his chest. Loneliness. He felt as though something were missing. Something was off. It was though something important had been left behind, like he misplaced something special, and didn't know where he was. Luxord grabbed on the branch, his other hand still rubbing at his head.

Two?

The _two_ of them? Together?

Starting over, just the two of them…

* * *

"This tea smells amazing," Axel said cheerfully as he inhaled the cup full of mint tea. Roxas watched carefully as he began to take rather large gulps from the cup, despite the fact that the water was very close to boiling. Roxas made a sorry face as he watched Axel struggle with the drink. "And it tastes amazing too!" Roxas could hear the struggle Axel was having with talking.

"Isn't that hot?" Roxas asked in a worried tone.

Axel looked up at him, his eyes watery from his tongue being burned.

"Mhm," he uttered pathetically. He then continued to drink from the cup.

Roxas sighed.

The past few days had been touch and go between the two. There were days where the two of them would be ok, but then something would go wrong, and they'd be at each others necks. Roxas would have had something done, were it not for the fact that Axel's sharp nails were becoming prominent once more.

Roxas had made a mental note that his breed needed to be trimmed down faster.

But today Roxas had received what he had hoped would rekindle the relationship, what little there was, that the two of them shared. Kiwis weren't in season, which was a shame since he knew Axel would have been familiar with that fruit, being that it came from the south, but he had managed to get his hand on dried mint.

However, seeing how much trouble it was, Roxas wished he had purchased fresh mint. It would have been stronger, true, but watching a grown Neko burn his tongue over a little buzz was sort of unbecoming.

"Is there any more," he heard Axel ask.

Roxas blinked at stared over at the empty cup in Axel's hands.

"You drank it all?" he asked.

"Yeah," Axel answered. "So, is there any more of that tea stuff?"

"Actually, Axel, we were supposed to talk more about your education," Roxas said. "Remember, yesterday you wrote down your name…in English."

"What about it?" Axel asked, still holding on to his cup.

"Where did you learn to spell?" Roxas asked.

"My father taught me how to spell my name," Axel answered. "Can I have some more tea?"

"Do you know how to spell other things?" Roxas asked.

"My brother's name," Axel answered. He thought for a few seconds. "As well as a few of my close friends back home."

"Is that all?"

"What else needs to be written down?" Axel said. "I can't think of anything else, aside from our names that would be important."

"How do you keep records?" Roxas asked.

"Through elders telling us about them," Axel asked. "I learned all my history by being told about it."

"You don't write it down?"

"I don't see what good that would do," Axel said, shrugging. He placed his cup down and began imitating writing. His finger grazed the table.

"Why not?"

"What would we write on that would not eventually fade away?" Axel asked. "Dirt can be wiped, skin wears down, and stones will smooth out." He looked at Roxas. "Plus, it's so easy to lose everything."

"But your people will not last forever," Roxas said.

"No, but we're a lot more reliable," Axel said. "And I think learning from a member of your family will help you remember better than from a rock or dirt." He chuckled.

"And you remember everything your told?"

"Don't you?" Axel asked Roxas.

Roxas lowered his gaze and picked at his food.

"You should," he heard Axel say. "You're at an age where younger members of your family would rely on you to tell them things they don't understand."

"It's only my older sister and I," Roxas said.

"Don't you have any friends?" Axel asked.

Once again, Roxas found himself messing with his food, trying to distract himself from Axel's painful words.

Friends? Roxas could remember the days where he was free from being tutored, and if he was lucky, he would play with some of the servants' children. He had memories of when he was very young, and he would visit his cousins and they would play little. But after reaching a certain age, it became inappropriate for him to play with Namine. He was a boy, and he would have been too rough with her. And after turning thirteen, he was just considered too old for play. He needed to stick with his studies and prepare for his travels and duties as heir to the family name. There was never really any time for friends.

"Did you have friends?" Roxas asked quietly.

"Of course I did," Axel answered.

"Lots of them?"

"A lot," Axel said. "Anyone close in age was always grouped together."

Roxas smiled.

"Do you miss them?" Roxas asked.

Axel stared quietly at Roxas, "yeah."

"You're lucky, Axel," Roxas then said. He pushed his plate away and signaled one of the maids to come over and fill Axel's cup full of tea.

"Why's that?" Axel asked, not really noticing that his cup was being refilled.

"You have something to miss," Roxas said. "I don't. I never did."

"You never had any friends?" Axel asked. His face dropped. Roxas looked away from Axel, not able to bear his saddened face. He couldn't stand the idea of Axel feeling sorry for him.

"I couldn't make any…"

"How so?" He heard Axel ask. He seemed desperate to know.

"Look at me Axel," Roxas said bitterly. "I'm heir to an empire. My name means power. I'll be one of six great rulers for this country." He looked into sad green eyes and frowned. "You can't have friends when you have so many responsibilities."

There was a long silence. Roxas could hear Axel pick at his food, either thinking poorly about him or everything he had said. Roxas looked down at his plate and sighed. Things never went right between them. Why didn't things ever work out between them?

"I'm glad I wasn't born into power," Axel finally muttered.

"You sound so selfish," Roxas said.

"Like you?"

"…"

"Why didn't you ever leave?" Axel asked. "Surely you could have left your life, and started a new one?"

Roxas shook his head.

"I did," Roxas said. "I was planning on leaving right after renewing my passports."

"Then why didn't you leave?" Axel asked. He didn't ask what passports were. He didn't ask why Roxas needed to leave with those in his possession. Roxas could see that his cup was still full of tea.

Roxas lifted his gaze and look into two confused green eyes. There so many questions Roxas had wanted to ask Axel, but never had the capability to. They were always bickering, always arguing over which idea was right, which morals ought to be adopted, there was hardly any time for friendly questions between two friends. Roxas and Axel were never friends.

_When did you get those tattoos? Those scars?_

_What are your favorite foods? Colors? Your fondest memories? Moments?_

_Have you ever been in love? Do you know what love is?"_

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Roxas asked.

Axel raised a brow.

"Please answer," Roxas said.

"Yes."

Roxas' heart nearly skipped a beat. This had to mean Axel knew what love truly was. Even though his kind could never truly appreciate it, he knew what it was.

Roxas smiled a small smile.

"That's why I stayed," he said.

"You're in love?" Axel asked.

Roxas nod his head.

"I can't leave until the time's right," Roxas said. He grinned at Axel. "There's a country right next to ours, called Haii. It's a wonderful place. I was hoping we could go there one day."

"Then why don't you?" Axel asked. His expression was turning more and more anxious by the moment.

"I can't," Roxas said. "That person isn't ready yet. They don't even know….plus…"

What was he supposed to say? Axel had said he'd turn down others. He wasn't ready for this. Axel wouldn't do well with such a burden.

"I'm lying to them," Roxas said, shaking his head in disappointment. He couldn't bear to say anymore. Not yet. He'd leave Axel out and ignorant until the time was right.

"…"

Roxas looked at Axel. He was silent. Very silent.

"Axel?" He asked.

"You never lie to the person you love," Axel said.

Roxas frowned. But at the same time he felt very relieved. It seemed Axel hadn't caught on.

"Never."

He was safe. For now.

Roxas nod his head quietly.

"I think it's best we change the subject," he said.

Roxas heard the chair across the table slide. Axel was leaving.

"Axel?"

Axel looked down at him. After a few moments, he produced a small smile and pointed at the door.

"I'm cold," he said. "It's making my bones ache."

"Will you be alright?" Roxas asked.

Axel nod his head, grinning at the boy.

"A little cold won't hurt me," he said. "Plus you got me all these warm layers of clothing." He walked over to the door. "I'm going to lie down and warm myself up." He let his smile subside a bit, but kept a bit of it on to assure Roxas nothing was wrong. "I suggest you do the same…you look very tired."

"Ok," Roxas said, feeling better after hearing Axel's words.

They felt almost welcoming. So strange.

Roxas stared at the mess on his plate. He had been so stressed, and had poked and tore at his meal that he hardly could recognize what he had been served. When Roxas looked back up he realized he was all alone.

* * *

_You need to run faster…._

_They're getting closer._

_Hurry!_

_Hurry…_

"Luxord?"

The Neko slowly opened his eyes, releasing his arms that had been wrapped around his own body. He turned his head over and stared at Marluxia, who was lying besides him. Luxord wasn't sure how long Marluxia had been there. He lowered his gaze and saw that clenched fists, along with slightest bit of trembling. Luxord lifted his eyes back to Marluxia, taking in his lover's current expression. He looked so concerned.

"You're in bed?" Marluxia asked. "This early in the day?"

"It's evening," Luxord said tiredly. He felt a slight pain at the back of his head. He ignored it the best he could. "I'm just tired…don't worry." He knew he couldn't concern Marluxia with these images and dreams. He was far too busy with Larxene, and it would be selfish of him to garner all the attention.

Marluxia placed a hand on his forehead. Although it was gentle, Luxord couldn't help but back away from it, just a little.

"Perhaps you're sick," Marluxia muttered. "How do you feel?"

"Exhausted," Luxord said.

That was true. Luxord kept himself curled up in the sheets as Marluxia lifted himself from the bed and sat carefully at the edge of it.

His head hurt. And he wanted to know what he had lost. Those memories seemed to be coming back…and yet, they were so far away from him.

He wished he could just reach out and grab them.

"I'll have someone send for a doctor," Marluxia finally said.

"You don't need to do that," Luxord said.

"I will," Marluxia said. "Aerith is far too busy, and I'd rather not risk anyone catching what you may have." Marluxia lowered himself and placed a gentle kiss on Luxord. "I won't have you suffering more than what you already are. Just wait a few hours. Drink plenty of water and rest."

Luxord could feel a few of Marluxia's finger trail through his short hair. He could feel them trembling.

"I'll be ok," he said.

"I know," Marluxia muttered.

Luxord buried his face into the sheets, closing his eyes and listening to the sound of Marluxia's soft footsteps. The door closed slowly, causing weak creaking sounds until the lock clicked shut. Luxord grabbed tight on to the sheets as he tried to think about those strange feelings he had first felt when he and Marluxia were together.

He knew he had felt them before. Everything he had done with Marluxia was something he had experienced before. Every gentle touch and kiss had been performed before, in the life he couldn't remember. And now he was finally seeing it, in little hints taking the form of those voices and images. And it was scaring him. It was frightening him. Luxord knew he had lost memories, but he never knew until now just horrible that was. Some of these memories must have been precious. Some of them must have been special to him. And what had he lost? Family? Friends? Loved ones? And it only terrified him to think what this could mean. What if Marluxia…what if what he felt for him was based upon what he felt for another? Was there someone waiting for him, wondering where he was and why he hadn't returned? The pain he had felt all this time, those familiar, hurtful breaths he had taken while watching people act around him; was it because he once performed the same actions and was longing to perform them with those he once knew? And what were they feeling right now? Surely they worried for him. And they must be scared and stressed and wondering what in gods name had happened to him. He had disappeared from their lives. Maybe they were looking for him. Maybe they thought he was dead.

What if they were looking for him? Would he ever recognize them if they met up with one another? And what was he to do when he approached them, not knowing who was who?

Luxord wrapped his arms around his chest, his eyes tight shut.

His room. It wasn't really his room.

The beautiful carpeting, the luxurious bed with soft sheets, the decorated wall with colorful paintings, and the smooth, carved furniture; none of it belonged to him. Nothing in this castle belonged to him. Marluxia had let him borrow it, had offered it all to him, but never was it meant for him. Marluxia just had it changed…for him. Marluxia was wonderful, he was everything Luxord could ask for. But not even Marluxia belonged to him.

Luxord opened his eyes, and another thought entered his mind.

What if he was some lower creature? What if he was a slave, and owned absolutely nothing at all? Would he give up the life Marluxia had handed to him for the frugal life he had once lived? And what about the life he had lived…what if he left it on purpose? What if he had loved, but lost it? Or if he tired of living the long, labored life he had been born into?

So many questions. It made his headache into a migraine.

What if he lived a wonderful life before? What if he had everything he could have asked, and more?

He loved Marluxia! He knew what he felt for the human was more than simple lust or attention. When he was with Marluxia, he felt amazing, happy, and complete.

But what if there was another love of his waiting for him right now? He had felt sadness with Marluxia, even though he was truly happy with him. Maybe it was because somehow he knew.

Luxord stared out into the window. He could see through the few branches that poked into his view and saw rows of trees, a bit of plain, and bits of the nearby town.

What would he do? He didn't know.

There was so much he would risk if he left the life he had woken up to. But, at the same time, there was so much he would lose if he stayed. Marluxia would have to marry, and even if it wasn't Larxene he would spend less time with Luxord. And what would he do once more memories arose? Even if Marluxia stood single, what kind of life would he live if he knew someone was looking for him, with kind of guilt building inside of him day after day?

Somehow Luxord found himself at the window, his hand pressed against the glass as he stared out. That pain was still there, stronger than it ever had been before. When he had woken up for the first time, he had felt that pain, but it was nowhere near this bad.

He couldn't explain it, but he was sure there was someone out there that he needed to find.

* * *

Axel out the window, his ears tilted away as he felt the cold winds hit his face. He looked down and stared at the snow covered roof tiles, noting out the few patches that were dry and safe for him to jump on. Axel took a step back and knelt down; grabbing the bag full of necessities he had packed in the last few hours.

Roxas…he was such a confused boy.

All children his age were usually confused, but Roxas seemed to be almost lost. It was as though he didn't even know who he was, or what he wanted.

Were all humans this conflicted? Or was Roxas an exception?

Axel never acted like this. He wondered and questioned and acted against his own nature, but Axel had never done something so cruel, especially to someone he cared about.

If Roxas even cared…did he really care?

Axel took a step on the window ledge, his free hand holding on to the coat. He threw the bag over his shoulder and took a breath of icy cold air.

Roxas would have kept him trapped. He lied, and Axel knew if one lied they would continue to lie again. Roxas was just that. Axel knew he'd be trapped, if not in this mansion, then in Roxas' world.

Roxas wasn't looking for Luxord. He was buying time. He would think of a plan, and then lie to him. Axel knew he'd be tricked, and would be lead astray from his goal.

Axel stared at his hands. His claws were still growing back. He'd have to rely heavy on the few knifes he had in the bag, at least until his claws were long enough. He pulled on the clothes and covered his hands, taking another step on the ledge. He balanced himself, staring down at the ground. He'd have to hurry if he didn't want to get caught. It was dark now, but he was sure there may be someone out guard. After all, there were others of his kind on the property.

Slaves…humans…

Axel wanted nothing more than to go home. He would find Luxord and they'd go back home, where they belonged, away from this terrible, strange, coldhearted land. Axel had thought something new was what he wanted, but he never thought about what new was or what it could mean. Perhaps there was a reason most of them stayed in their green world, hidden from other species. Maybe he was wrong all along.

Luxord was right. He was wrong. And they were both suffering because of it.

Well, axel was more than willing to make it right again. He'd find Luxord, beg for forgiveness, and they would go home together and forget about everything.

He'd find his mate, and they'd go home.

* * *

Larxene sighed.

Things between her and Marluxia were not going well. She had hoped the two of them would have spent more time together, but instead he spent most of the day avoiding her and pacing about in that Neko's room.

She walked out of her room and took a look around the hall. No one was around. No one to use or order around. To put it simple; nothing for her to do. Marluxia had made sure that her favorite little servant girl-Aerith-spent her time away from both of them and even made her leave early. Hmm! As if that would make her think differently. Larxene definitely knew there was something between those two…

Larxene leaned against the wall and stared at the giant painting of mixed flowers.

Xaldin had said that there wasn't much hope for her. But Roxas had mentioned that he may leave her the estate. Larxene was really hoping for the latter. It didn't look like she and Marluxia shared anything in common, and a marriage didn't seem possible. Marluxia would not propose to her.

And boy was she bitter about it.

It wasn't so much she had failed as much as it was the fact that she couldn't get someone she was once friends with to fall for her. She had looks, charm, and could act like an angel, but Marluxia wasn't interested in the slightest! No, he was far to busy chasing after that commoner girl. He gave away the best room for her, gave her more money than what she deserved, and practically let her run over him.

Whore, that's what she was.

Larxene began walking down the hallway, staring at the ordained walls and thinking to herself.

Perhaps she and Marluxia were not meant to be? It was possible; they were complete opposites of each other. Marluxia didn't agree with her with any politics. He disagreed with her over the simplest of things. And he was just plain peculiar. The man kept his servants close, even the males. Even the Neko…

"Larxene?"

Larxene turned to the tired voice in front of her and frowned.

"Marluxia," she said.

"It's rather late," Marluxia said. "You should be getting ready for bed."

Larxene smirked, folding her arms and approaching Marluxia.

"You care now?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I've barely seen you all day," she replied. "I spent most of my time busying myself, wandering this place in hopes of finding entertainment."

"It's been a difficult day," Marluxia said, looking away from her.

"You seem so worried over that Neko," Larxene said, walking over to Marluxia. She smiled, pretending to care about what he was feeling. She couldn't figure out why he'd stress over something so replaceable. Even though he was a Southern type, she could easily purchase and replace that Neko with something nicer.

"He's been in bed for a while," Marluxia said.

"Didn't you check on him earlier in the evening?" Larxene asked. "Don't tell me you just checked on him again?"

"No," Marluxia said. "I'm giving him rest and privacy."

"So, he's sleeping in his room, right?" Larxene asked. She paused for a moment and then added, "And the room's locked?"

"Yes," Marluxia said. He sank a bit. "The Physician should be here by now."

"I'm sure he's on his way," Larxene said.

Marluxia sighed. He looked grim as ever. Larxene could not imagine why though. It was just another fiend. And here she thought her brother was the odd one, taking a wild Neko in and trying to tame it for some reason.

"You needn't worry about him," she said.

"I can't help it," Marluxia muttered. "He's not normally like this."

"Perhaps he's acting out?" Larxene suggested.

"If he is then…"

Larxene smiled coyly.

"…it's my entire fault," he said.

"What?"

Larxene did not believe what she had just heard. Marluxia blaming himself over a fiend's misbehavior? He really knew nothing about these creatures. They were lazy creatures that would trick their masters out of a days work whenever possible. They lied and stole and ran away in order to escape their jobs. If they had their claws they'd scrape and infect their owners with their germs and if left alone they'd all revolt.

"I've let you treat him so wrong," Marluxia said sadly. "He probably feels emotionally sick. I wonder if he feels if I've betrayed him."

Larxene was aghast. Her jaw dropped offensively as she held everything in her power to prevent herself from hitting Marluxia then and there. How dare he say that! Where did he come off with that sort of authority?

"_Excuse me_?" she asked.

Marluxia turned to her, his blue eyes staring at her with a very cold expression.

"I've never let anyone treat him anything less than a guest," Marluxia said. "You're the only one who has had the nerve to treat him like scum."

"You don't treat them like guests," Larxene retorted. "Neko's are not toys, Marluxia. They are a source of labor. They are not meant to be dressed up, nor are they meant to be played with!"

"He's not a toy!"

"You treat him as though he's a fashion accessory," she yelled. "You worry over him like a mother worried over her dirtied child! You have servants just for him!" Her eyes rolled from irritation. "He's not even a bloody servant."

"I told you," Marluxia hissed. "I'm having him fill in Aerith's place!"

"You think a Neko can be taught such difficulties?" Larxene asked with a laugh. "They can't be taught to read! And they can't write either! They're stupid, lazy, and good for nothing!"

Marluxia's eyes widened a bit. He bared his teeth at her with his look of hatred, but then a small smirk grew on his face.

"Well," he said. "I'd like to think different. After all they taught you-"

This was her final straw. Larxene didn't even give Marluxia a chance to react as she smacked him hard against the face. Her hand burned with pain, and her fingers stung hot as she felt her hand slide across his skin. Larxene quickly withdrew her arm, taking a step back once she realized what she had done. She looked up at Marluxia, her face unfaltering as he stared at his emotionless expression. His cheek was beet red from her mark. Marluxia didn't say a thing, but then decided to let a smile grow on his face as a way of replying to her act of violence.

Larxene grit her teeth together in frustration.

"You're stupid!" she yelled. "You know nothing! Absolutely nothing!" Her other hand tightened into a small fist. "I spent the last several years building a name for myself, and yet here you are! Everybody already is making predictions about the leader you'll be! No one ever did that for me, but they'll do it for you!" She felt her eyes sting hot and wet from developing tears. "You think because you're a man you can say what you want? You think you're smarter than me? You're not! You're stupid! You let a woman boss you around, and you let your emotions be controlled by a stupid Neko!"

Marluxia's smirk did not falter. He kept that smug expression high on his face.

Larxene raised her hand, readying to strike once more. It was then did his expression finally change. That smirk evaporated away, a small look of surprise and horror developing on his face as she swung her arm and hand closer to him.

_Fine, let his finally be afraid. I don't care what happens to me_, Larxene thought as he felt her fingers meeting contact.

But just as her hand was about to strike Marluxia once more, she felt pressure hit her hard on her chest, pushing her away from Marluxia, and nearly knocking the air from her lungs. Larxene coughed, her back hitting the wall, hard. She could still see blue eyes, but not ones that belonged to Marluxia. And she could see a hand closing in on her, once again not belonging to Marluxia's. She watched as fingers clung together, almost like an arrow, aiming right for her stomach. Larxene didn't have time to react. She hadn't even noticed the hand forcing her to the wall. She didn't even know what was going on.

And then, suddenly, there was red.

* * *

Fun fact; Axel was originally going to be the one with the Amnesia, and Luxord was going to be stuck with mean ol' Marluxia. The roles were switched to remove the cliché of "nice Roxas" and "sexual deviant" Marluxia. A semi nice Marly and a somewhat douchey Roxy seemed like a more original idea to use. Next chapter will be short, and it'll be the final part to this arc of the story. Hope you're as excited as I am!

Reviews are welcome!


	14. Rhododendron

Look, I wrote something!

-Chapter 14-

_The trees were almost completely naked. Axel could smell the light aroma of budding leaves and flowers, but it was annoying that any chances of sleeping on the small, weak, empty were gone. Axel didn't mind so much sleeping on the floor, but he would feel safer hidden from any predators. Were it not for the fact that neither of the two came across anything threatening Axel may have been worried._

_"Are you afraid?"_

_Axel stared at the small fire he had produced. He wasn't sure when Luxord had arrived back at the spot the two of them had chosen to camp at. He let a hand hover above the flames, letting the warmth radiate in his palm._

_"No," he answered._

_"Not even a little?" Luxord asked._

_"Why, should I be?" Axel asked, turning and smirking at the blonde. He stood up and approached the blonde, staring at the armful or bright colored berried in the other's arms. He picked a small berry up, sniffing it carefully._

_"It's not poisonous," Luxord whispered into the redhead's ear._

_"Like you'd ever screw up and get bad berries," Axel said, plopping it into his mouth. He bit down on it, tasting the tartly juices of the small fruit, as well as the grimy taste of the dirt._

_"They haven't been washed yet," the blonde Neko pointed out._

_"Yeah…I kind of figured that one out," Axel muttered, trying to swallow the berry down._

_"Never be so hasty," Luxord scolded Axel. "We're on foreign land; you can never be too safe."_

_"That sounds so unlike you," Axel said. "Aren't you the one to normally take risks?"_

_"Back at home, yes," Luxord said. "But we're deep in new land. I need to at least know the basic structure before I start to explore…"_

_"Afraid?" Axel asked._

_"A little," Luxord replied. "But….I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit excited."_

_Axel smiled._

_"So you're opening up to the idea?" he asked._

_Luxord sat himself down, placing the berries on the side. He sighed, laying himself down before looking up at Axel with a frustrated look on his face._

_"I was right," Axel said. He sat himself down next to Luxord and smiled. "You're having fun."_

_"Barely," Luxord said._

_"Try not to spoil the moment," Axel said, pouting. "I'm trying to relish in the glory of me being right, and you wrong."_

_"How cruel of you," Luxord responded with a small smile._

_"It's so rare to have you be wrong about things," Axel said, letting his hand rest on the other's side. "I like it. I like it when you're out of your element."_

_He watched the blonde curl his body in; that slender tail moving in closer to his body, those arms and legs moving in closer to that heaving chest, and those eyes looking down._

_"I thought you wanted this?" Axel asked._

_"I like being in control," Luxord admitted, staring into the flames._

_"Upset because you have no rank out here?"_

_"It's hard to take control when you have little control over anything," Luxord said, lifting his gaze just a little._

_"Afraid I'm stronger than you?"_

_"My talents lie in many, but you excel at speed and strength," Luxord replied with a smile._

_"I wouldn't say speed is an advantage for what I plan to do with you," Axel said, whispering into the others ear. "Something like that ought to take time…"_

_Axel suddenly felt weight press against him. And hand slamming down on his chest, forcing him to hit the ground with a rough thud. He closed his eyes, wincing from the sudden pain. When he opened his eyes he could see two blue pools staring down at him. Axel didn't move as he looked into those sharp blue eyes._

_"You wouldn't accept my advance back at home," Luxord said. His hand was firmly pressed against Axel's chest. Other than that, his stature didn't seem the least bit threatening._

_"I couldn't share you," Axel said._

_"That wasn't all you said," Luxord muttered. "You said you also couldn't love me that way."_

_"Because I could never share you," Axel said, looking deep into Luxord's eyes. "You were practically born into royalty. You are so talented. Of course it's only natural you would be allowed to have two mates." Axel sighed, looking away for a few seconds as he tried to calm himself down. "I couldn't handle that. I only want someone for myself."_

_"I was alone after she died…"_

_"They gave you permission to start over," Axel said, taking note of Luxord's depleting expression. "And how could I take advantage of you? You were so upset."_

_"I still am."_

_"But you're not weak hearted and in mourning," Axel said. He raised a hand up and let his fingers graze against the blondes._

_He watched those shaper blue eyes grow warm; melting under the emotional pressure that was building around and inside of him. Axel knew Luxord had waited so long._

_"You could have me all for yourself, now that we're all alone."_

_"Only if you consent," Axel whispered._

_Luxord's eyes gleamed curiously at Axel._

_"I want you to beg."_

_"Why?" Axel asked._

_"I spent so much time trying to woo you," Luxord said. "Only until I lost…and even then I would always give my subtle hints that I was willing to have you."_

_"What makes you think I'll be the one doing the begging?" Axel asked. He pushed Luxord's hand away from him, forcing himself back up as he struggled for that dominance that he would have never possessed back at home. Back at home where Luxord was several ranks higher than him, and it was considered inappropriate for someone like him to try to overpower someone like Luxord; in any way or form._

_Luxord stumbled back, surprised by Axel's sudden display of power. Axel could help but snicker in delight from Luxord's expression._

_"Excited?"_

_"Appalled," Luxord said with a nervous smile._

_"I bet there's a part of you that wants it," Axel said as he snuck over to the blonde. "Everyone likes to be dominated once in a while." He hovered above Luxord, his green eyes glowing in the failing light. The sun was setting to sleep, and then it would only be the two of them._

_Luxord looked up at him, still shocked by the turn of events. Axel smiled as he saw the blonde produce a weak smile, his mind racing as he tried to think of something clever to say in response._

_"You would know."_

_"You're rather attractive when you're nervous," Axel laughed. "You're making this harder than what it has to be."_

_"I'm spoiled," Luxord answered, smiling up at Axel. He seemed eased as his chest wasn't heaving up and down from anticipation._

_Axel lowered himself, letting his head rest on the other's chest. He closed his eyes for a few moments, taking in the strange new realization that the two had produced from each other. He let a hands slide down Luxord's waist, stopping when it met leather and letting his fingers sneak their way past the clothing. He could feel the body underneath him struggle; Luxord releasing a small gasp of air from the surprise advance and his heart racing from contact._

_"Tell me you want me," Axel said, looking at Luxord's heated face. "And I'll let you have the lead next time."_

_"Doesn't seem like a fair trade," Luxord said, his face flushed with developing blush._

_"It's hard bargain, but you ought to be used to those," Axel said._

_Luxord pouted, but then winced as Axel's hands traveled farther than what Luxord could tolerate. He watched the conflicted expression twist between pride and pleasure before giving into demands. Those strong eyes had worn down from need and desire, and that tensed up body underneath him had already begun to arch and coil with Axel's ever touch._

_Seconds later the two of them were grabbing on to one other; their lips locked and their bodies heating up as they deepened the kiss that Luxord had suddenly initiated. Axel almost forgot the demand he had made to Luxord as he let his hands wrap around the other's most sensitive organ, letting his fingers rub the tip and taunt him with small bits of pleasure._

_"Beg." Axel said as he broke away from the blonde._

_Blue eyes were now glaring angrily at him._

_"You really are spoiled," Axel quickly added. He let his fingers rub the length more, causing eyelids to list halfway from lust._

_"Nnnh….Axel."_

_"Yes?" Axel taunted some more._

_"Please…"_

_"A little more Luxord," Axel cooed. He let out his tongue and licked at the hot neck, tasting sweat and desire._

_"Must I?"_

_"Not unless you're into the foreplay," Axel said, now nipping at the neck. He was having so much fun teasing Luxord. He could have never gotten away with this back home; not without Luxord killing him._

_"Ugh…I want it."_

_"Mhmm," Axel said I a satisfied tone. He rested his head on Luxord's; his green eyes looking into blue._

_"…"_

_"Again?" Axel asked._

_"I will remove you and satisfy myself if you keep that attitude up," Luxord hissed._

_Axel pouted._

_"Fine," he said. "Guess I'll have to improve your temperament later."_

…

Axel looked around his surroundings, trying to make out the shapes in the dark, windy sky. He licks his chapped lips as he felt more icy wind hit his face, causing him to back away from it and turn in another direction. He remembered what Roxas had said about the mountains. People just like him lived there, on the other side of the continent. Somehow they managed this weather.

He had to go in the opposite direction of the mountains. That would lead him home. It was an easy direction. However, before Axel could go home he would need to find Luxord.

Axel squint his eyes and tried to make out the shapes that were in front of him. He worried that he was going in circles. There was only so much time before Roxas would send someone after him, and Axel didn't want to waste precious time trying to find out where he was.

The redhead sucked in icy air and continued forward; sure of himself that he was going the right way.

How long would it take till he found Luxord? Axel had seen a map of this country. It looked so small on that sheet of paper, but Axel knew the land he lived on was so much larger than what he had seen. It could be days or weeks till he found Luxord, assuming he was moving quickly. He had no idea where Luxord was and he would have to find him all on his own.

Axel held on to himself, trying to keep himself as warm as he could. He curled his tail in; keeping his ears lowered, and slowly trudged on. It was so cold.

* * *

Luxord had woken up when he heard the door close. He had slept lightly, his head still clinging hard to the many thoughts that swirled in his mind. It stopped him from dreaming or falling into a deep sleep.

He opened his eyes, expecting to see someone in his room, but was surprised to find it empty. Luxord slowly lifted his head and looked around. He could smell that wonderful scent that told him that Marluxia had been around, and it was so fresh.

Marluxia had come to check up on him, and Luxord had slept through it! Luxord frowned, his hand caressing his head as he felt his mind fall back into the haze. He wished Marluxia had woken him up. He wouldn't have minded one bit. He enjoyed the man's company so much, and right now he wished he had someone to spend time with. He felt feelings he couldn't explain, memories that brought to him fear and confusion; he wanted someone to tell him everything would be alright and that it would all come to pass.

His smell was fresh though, which mean he had probably left a few moments ago. With this thought Luxord sat himself up on the bed, letting his feet touch the cold floor. He stretched his arms and legs, his tired muscles quite happy to be out of bed. He was hungry, and his body was eager to move around after spending a large portion of his day resting.

Didn't Marluxia say a physician was coming over?

Luxord held on to his head, feeling the faint pulse from his continuous migraine. His head didn't hurt so much when he didn't think too hard. As long as he kept his mind away from those dreams, those sounds of barking and howling and that voice that brought strange emotions wouldn't be able to reach him. It was bothersome that he had to try to not think hard about these dreams.

He walked over to the door, staring at the knob and realizing that it had been locked during some point of the day. Luxord instantly began to think about Larxene, and wondered whether it would be alright for him to walk around the halls. He hurried over to his closet and began to go through his belongings. He really wanted to see Marluxia. Hopefully being fully dressed in uncomfortable clothing would help calm the woman. Luxord dressed himself and went back to the door, unlocking it and carefully looking down the long hallway.

Marluxia was nowhere in sight, but Luxord could still smell his lingering scent. He quietly made his way out of his room, walking through the long hallway and following that familiar scent. He could hear soft mutters coming from somewhere. Luxord took several steps in the direction of the voices, keeping his pace steady as he tried to remain silent. The voices were definitely familiar; Luxord could make out the Marluxia between the sounds.

"You're the only one who has had the nerve to treat him like scum."

"Neko's are not toys, Marluxia. They are a source of labor. They are not meant to be dressed up, nor are they meant to be played with!"

Two voices. Luxord didn't have to think too hard to figure out who the second voice was.

"Larxene," Luxord stopped at a corner. His back was to the wall, his eyes glued to a painting on the wall as he heard Marluxia and Larxene talking to one another.

Neither of them sounded friendly. They were having some sort of a disagreement, and Luxord felt like he had to do something with it. He was the only Neko in the mansion, and Larxene had said so many discouraging things about him already.

"He's not a toy!"

Marluxia was yelling at her. Luxord felt a small smile spread across his face. It was immature of him to feel gratitude for something like this, but he had grown tired of trying to ignore the woman, and now Marluxia seemed to have grown tired of her as well. Maybe he'd kick her out after all of this. Marluxia had surely reached the end of his patience. The leader of the mansion would not tolerate some stranger, and a weak one at that, telling him off. He'd surely have her leave.

"You treat him as though he's a fashion accessory," he heard Larxene yell out. Her voice echoed out. "You worry over him like a mother worries over her dirtied child! You have servants just for him!"

Keep on shouting, Luxord thought with a smirk. He felt himself fight the urge to look over the corner and watch the two.

"He's not even a bloody servant."

Luxord felt anger boil in his chest. He couldn't wait for her to leave. She's be gone and Marluxia would make sure she'd never come back. Luxord was sure he'd make sure that this woman would never come back.

"I told you," Luxord heard Marluxia bark at Larxene. "I'm having him fill in Aerith's place!" Luxord really wished he could see what was going on, but was afraid of getting caught. He knew it would only get Larxene upset. He had to stay out of it…

Larxene laughed. "You think a Neko can be taught such difficulties?" She asked in a haughty tone. Luxord turned his head, inching himself over at the edge of the corner, not sure what he had just heard. Why was she laughing? What was so funny?

"They can't be taught to read! And they can't write either! They're stupid, lazy, and good for nothing!"

Luxord clenched his jaw tight, feeling his head lower in anger and frustration for not being able to defend himself. He couldn't wrap his mind around how anyone could say these sorts of things. Where was her proof of all this? Luxord remembered Aerith showing him the books she had bought for him, and the lessons she had planned out for him. She said he knew how to write…

His head began to ache as he thought more about it. Luxord didn't care. It was all he could think about now. What was wrong with Larxene? Why was she so cruel? What made her that way? Luxord held on to his head, his other hand barely clenching on to the wall as he felt a sharp migraine hit him. He stumbled, taking a step in the wrong direction, and lifted his head and saw both Larxene and Marluxia in front of him. Larxene's back was facing his, and Marluxia was staring at her, his blue eyes leering at her in a cold stare.

He was still a good distance away. Luxord felt his legs edge back to the wall, before either of them noticed his presence.

"Well," he heard Marluxia say. Luxord froze, afraid he had been caught. He looked over at Marluxia, who still had his eyes on Larxene.

"I'd like to think different," Marluxia said to Larxene. "After all, they taught you-"

And then Larxene did something Luxord didn't thing was possible. Something that he had never figured anyone would do. He watched as she lifted her arm and hit Marluxia hard across the face, producing a loud smack that nearly caused him to back away in fear.

She hit him. She attacked him.

Luxord felt the anger shrivel away, being replaced with a strange empty feeling. His whole body went stiff as he stared at Marluxia, whose cheek was red, raw from the hit.

And Marluxia stared back, producing a mildly startled look as though this were some kind of joke or natural occurrence. He watched a smirk form on Marluxia's face.

And he looked right at him.

Luxord stared right into those dark blue eyes, and then at the reddened flesh that had been attacked.

What Larxene had done was wrong. Terribly wrong. She had done something that she had no right to do. And Luxord knew it, and he knew, from Marluxia's expression, that he had to do something about it. That silent voice in his head rang, pointing and screaming at Larxene like she was some sort of animal that needed to be taught a lesson. Luxord agreed.

"You're stupid!"

Marluxia wasn't even fighting back. He wasn't trying to defend himself. Luxord rested a hand on his forehead, feeling a dizziness take over him as he continued to listen to Larxene shout insults. He was getting sick of hearing her, and his body ached to do something about it. That voice inside him was yelling. It was louder than Larxene was.

"You let a woman boss you around, and you let your emotions be controlled by a stupid Neko!"

Luxord took a step forward. Then another, and then another. He was getting faster. He was running towards the two, his mind rushing around but not at the right place. He watched Larxene raise her hand; Luxord knew he's be able to stop it. Marluxia's expression slowly changed, but Luxord didn't care. He wasn't thinking straight, but it didn't matter so much to him. He somehow knew what to do. He felt his hands rise up, just when he knew he was only a few feet from Larxene, and felt his fingers close in together.

But then he watched Marluxia grab Larxene, almost in slow motion, pushing her down against the wall, her blue icy eyes not staring right at him. Marluxia moved in front of her. He watched Larxene produce a look of shock and horror. Luxord was sure he was doing the same now. Marluxia wouldn't let go of her. Luxord wanted to shake his head, tell him to move aside. Marluxia wouldn't move. Luxord couldn't stop moving. His body acted on it's own, and Luxord could only watch as he felt his claws, then finger tips, up until each one ended, make contact with the wrong flesh.

She would have never see it coming, Marluxia.

…

"…Marluxia?"

Luxord pulled, and felt his fingers slowly tug out of hot skin and blood. His eyes were wide, staring Marluxia who was leaning against the wall and Larxene.

"…Marluxia?" he heard Larxene whisper.

Luxord looked down at his hand, staring at his four drenched fingers. The claws were covered and dripping. The hallways were beginning to reek of the stuff. He raised his eyes a bit and saw the hole that he had created. Marluxia's chest, gaping with a horrid looking gash. He could see torn flesh, blood oozing out from everywhere, and Marluxia. Marluxia was just standing there watching him with an almost apologetic expression.

Marluxia slumped to the floor, his hand reaching over to cover his wound. He continued to stare up t Luxord, with the surprising expression, not uttering a word until he finally managed a single, gruesomely wet cough.

"Marluxia!" Larxene screamed. She fell to the floor and grabbed the man in her frail looking arms. Luxord watched tears run down her perfect face. She had been screaming at him just moments ago, now it looked liked she was mourning him.

Luxord shook his head.

"Marluxia, Marluxia!" Larxene cried. "Say something! Oh, please, Marluxia!" One of her hands went over the large puncture wounds and tried to cover it.

Luxord took a step back, and then another. His eyes were still looking into Marluxia's. He couldn't break away, not matter how much he wanted to.

"Please! Somebody, help!"

Luxord continued to shake his head. It was too loud now. He brought both hands to his face, staring at them with a mixture of confusion and disgust. His right hand was a mess, a bloody mess, covered in bits of flesh.

"Marluxia…" he said. He felt his heart race faster and faster. This was all a mistake. This wasn't supposed to happen. Where was Aerith? She's know what to do…

"…Larxene…"

Luxord looked down at Marluxia and Larxene. Larxene's dress was stained with bright red. Her arms were moist with little spots of red that were sprinkled all over. Marluxia's mouth was open, and trembling. The pain was starting to sink in. Luxord felt his heart sink.

"Doctor…"

"Marluxia," Larxene's voice trembled.

"Now."

"…what about you?"

"I'm…fine…get…help."

"Marluxia…"

"Now." Marluxia coughed, spitting up more blood.

Larxene gave a small nod. Luxord watched as she carefully lay his head on the cold floor, pulling her self up into a standing position. She wouldn't look away from Marluxia.

"Go…"

Larxene held in a cry as she turned around, only to meet with Luxord.

She stared at him, expression crazed and frightened. Luxord just stood there. He didn't say anything. He knew his mouth was open to say something, but nothing came out. He didn't speak. He didn't say anything. Nothing. Larxene let a few tears run down her face, her eyes radiating hatred towards him. But she didn't say anything either. Instead, she ran. She ran down the hall and disappeared.

"Luxord…"

Luxord shivered.

"Luxord." And then there was a cough.

Luxord looked down at the pale figure beneath him. He felt his fingers tremble, the same ones that had punctured him. They were getting cold and sticky, just like him.

Marluxia was laying there, one arm covering the bleeding wound, the other outstretched towards him, beckoning him to come closer. Luxord didn't want to. Marluxia's chest heaved up and down, struggling to take in air with all the pain. There was so much blood that Luxord could hardly breath.

"Luxord…"

"…yes?" Luxord answered. He felt a pain grow in his throat.

"Go…to my office." Marluxia took a deep breath. "Wash your hands…"

Luxord stared at his bloodies hands. He felt the urge to cry.

"Lock the door," he heard Marluxia say.

Luxord bit his lip, trying to stop himself from breaking down. Marluxia was dying. He could feel it, he knew it. It was all his fault.

"Luxord…"

"Yes?" Luxord choked out.

"It's…not your fault…"

* * *

The sky was lit purple. Luxord held on to himself as he continued to wait out all the distress that was taking place outside of Marluxia's office. He wasn't sure how many hours had passed since he locked himself in, only that it was now morning and he was beginning to feel very fatigued over the situation. He had spent all this time trapped inside the small room, forced to only listen to the shouts and small conversations outside. It was lively out in the halls and other rooms. He had heard Marluxia and Larxene's name being spoken several times. His name was only mentioned twice. He didn't know whether to be relieved or terrified over this matter.

He continued to look at his bare hand. He had dressed himself in new clothing, had hurriedly washed himself and had done everything he was told to do. But he cold still smell it, and even in the darkness of the room, Luxord could make out small spots under his claws were blood still clung.

It made him sick.

Marluxia was alive…but what if that were to change? People spoke of "infections" and "bacteria" as they passed by the office, and it made him nervous. What were these things? He knew Marluxia had lost a lot of blood as well, but from what it sounded, the blood loss wasn't nearly as bad as the other two. What if these things made it worse? What if Marluxia died?

Luxord took a deep breath. He looked out the window and could see that the sun would be up in just a few hours. He'd been up all night. He was exhausted. But he couldn't rest, not with all the stress and worry.

He'd get in trouble. He knew Marluxia had defended Larxene for a reason, but he didn't know why. Why was she worth saving, after all the misery she had caused?

Why didn't he stop? Why did he go and try to attack her?

"Where is he?"

Luxord perked his ears up. He could hear Aerith through the door. She was panicked.

"In his room, we've a doctor checking on him right now."

"How is he?"

"He's receiving antibiotics."

Luxord crept closer to the door, trying to get a better idea of what was being said. He didn't understand what was going on. What was going on?

"Will he be fine?" he heard Aerith ask.

"Nobody is sure. It's hard to tell."

"Why…why did this happen?"

"Miss Larxene said that Luxord had tried to attack her."

"What?"

Luxord pulled away from the door. Is that what she had told everyone?

"I don't believe that, Luxord wouldn't do something like that."

"That's what she said. And the marks match."

"What?" She sounded repulsed.

"He's received a serious wound. The practitioner is pumping him full of medicine so he wont end up with an infection. You know those claws collect all sorts of things."

Luxord looked down at his hand. He could see the dried bits of blood. He could still smell it, even after rubbing his hands raw.

"Where's Luxord?"

"We haven't looked around. The Master asks that we attend to Larxene. The poor girl is traumatized"

Luxord rested himself against the wall. He looked around the office, staring at piles of paper, rows and rows of books, and towers of coins. He could see pink mixing in with the purple sky, and felt his head ache from exhaustion and sadness.

What would he do with himself now? Marluxia was hurt because of him, and Larxene would surely have him punished. And Marluxia wouldn't be able to stop it, if he wanted it to stop…

Now what?

He couldn't face Aerith now. She probably arrived thinking there had been some accident, not an attack. What would she think when she would see Marluxia, bloodied and weak after being vicious attacked by him? And everybody was siding with Larxene…he didn't stand a chance. He wouldn't be able to explain himself, and even if he could, he still tried to hurt Larxene. No one would take his side, not now.

And Marluxia…

Luxord buried his head between his legs and stared at the floor.

What was he thinking? Why did he just let go like that? Luxord didn't know, and he couldn't find the answers either. He just did…and now he was going to have to do something about it.

Luxord stood up, staring at the door and contemplating over whether eh should open it or not. He knew there would only be distress waiting for him on the other side. Once he was spotted he was sure he would have to face some sort of punishment.

_"They're stupid, lazy, and good for nothing!"_

Luxord felt his hand shake as it hovered over the lock above the doorknob. He felt his heart race with fear. Sweat running down his neck. His throat tightening up.

A woman like Larxene could make him very miserable.

He…couldn't do it. Luxord backed away from the door. He just couldn't face her, couldn't face Aerith, and could face everyone who was waiting for him to appear. No one could save him, not even Marluxia. If anything, Marluxia would be at fault for having him. What kind of man kept a Neko around without _proper constraints_?

Luxord walked over to the desk, his eyes on the window. He wondered if he could jump out the window and wait it out in the garden? How long could he hide from everyone before it was safe to reappear?

_No one can save you…_

Luxord stared at the coins that littered the table. He had seen Marluxia use them, and had been taught by Aerith on what they were used for. The gold ones were worth more than the silver or bronze. And the bigger coins were the ones that everyone wanted. Luxord picked up a coin and lifted it up to the window, staring at the decorations that were embodied on it.

Luxord knew he couldn't stay, but he wanted nothing more than to believe that he could. Staying was too dangerous. He'd risk putting his own life in danger. Marluxia had said that his kind were not treated fairly, whatever trial Larxene would put him through would be at her advantage.

Luxord held on to the coin tightly in his grasp.

What would he do without Marluxia? Just thinking about it made him feel weak. He didn't want to leave him, but he couldn't think of any other way.

Luxord took deep breaths, forcing out any regret he had about what he was about to do. He couldn't cry, as much as he wanted to, and he couldn't ask for someone to hold his hand on the way out. He couldn't go to Marluxia and ask for help, for attention, for those wonderful moments he would end up cherishing and missing.

He unlocked the latch on the windows and carefully opened them. He felt a cool breeze hit him, nearly causing him to back out. Luxord held his breath as he quickly surveyed the room. He spotted a small bag and grabbed it, filling it with as many coins as he could.

He would leave. He'd leave and Larxene could have whatever she wanted. Marluxia would be safe, and he wouldn't have to be responsible for him anymore. No one would have to tell him what was right and what was wrong, and whatever would happen now would be at his own fault…the way it should have been.

But where would he go? Luxord carefully hoisted himself up at the edge, half of him peeping out of the building. He stared down at his target, the tree right below him in the garden. Did it really matter?

Luxord looked back at the door, and let himself think, for just a second, of all the time he had spent here, the only place he could call home. He had no memory of anything…just this place, and now he had to start over. Again.

"Goodbye."

He jumped.

* * *

"Shit, it's cold," Demyx whined as he trudged through the snow. He wrapped his arms around his black coat, trying to conserve all the heat he produced. He huffed, letting a ball of steam out of his mouth, and groaned.

How much closer was he to the next city? Demyx shivered. He knew he should have taken a coach to his next mission, but had voted against it, thinking that, since he wasn't due there till the week's end, that saving up and walking would be the better plan.

Three days had gone by.

"Master Xemnas will have me reported," Demyx muttered pathetically.

Lord Xemnas, along with his siblings, had decreed that there would be a survey held in their boisterous city. The family wanted many things accounted for; citizens, immigrants, servants, slaves, registered weapons, and so on, and because it was cheaper, many of the Hunters would be doing the labor. Demyx felt another shiver run down his spine when he thought of all the horrible things that would happen if he dare arrive late. He had heard that Xemnas was a strict ruler, and had no problems with punishing those who displeased him.

"oohhh," Demyx whined. He continued to whine and curse, and hope that a coach or wagon would come by. He knew that the Ansem's family was a few towns away. He was nowhere near the ocean or great city. He would arrive late. Xemnas would have his head. The hunter corporation would deduct a huge amount of credits from his name…

"No, no, no," Demyx said, shaking his head and hurrying his pace.

This wasn't going to happen. Not to him, not after all the hard work he had done. Oh, why didn't he take the coach? Saix was right; he should have taken the coach with everyone. He was going to be late. Not again, not-

Demyx, not looking where he was going, suddenly met contact with something hard. He felt himself tumble, and attempted to straighten himself out, but found himself crashing into a thin layer of hard snow. He hit the icy ground with a hard wet smack, pulling his leg muscle as an added offense.

"Fuck!"

Demyx grabbed his legs and rubbed it, trying to soothe the sting that was now bursting through it.

"What the hell?" he cried. He looked over at the large mound of snow he had tripped over and felt himself grow frustrated over his predicament. He crawled over to the mound and stared angrily at him loathing over bit of its existence. He brought his gloved hand over to it and wiped at the tops of it, trying to see what had caused him so much misery. He scooped away chunks of soft snow, expecting to see a gnarled root or rock. What he got was a spike.

A red spike.

"What the hell?" Demyx poked at the red spike and frowned. He continued to scoop away chucks of snow, now curious to see what was underneath the huge pile. The more and more he uncovered though, the less curious he became, especially when he realized what he was uncovering was hair, and that other parts that he had unearthed looked liked they belonged to something bigger…

"Oh shit…" Demyx stopped what he was doing once he saw the pale, empty expression underneath him.

Yes, it was a body. Demyx continued to stare at the motionless body, noting how white and dead it looked. He let his gloved hand hover over a cheek, and then touched the blue lips. He had to have been here for hours. He must have frozen to death.

"Idiot." Demyx said. He continued to move snow aside, sure of himself that the body must have a few munny on it. Once there was enough body he grabbed it and began to pull it out of the snow. It was difficult, especially with a pulled muscle, but the added fortune would make it all worth it. But just as he was about to loot the body, Demyx couldn't help but notice something off about it.

There were black, pointed ears.

Demyx stared at the dark ears, his head turning to the side of the body, wondering if what he was seeing was real or an effect of the bad weather. But there was the tail, curled up and twitching every several seconds. Demyx thought about that and then made another realization; he had just uncovered a live Neko. His eyes widened and Demyx found another reason why he had to rummage through the Neko's belongings.

"Papers…" Demyx muttered frantically. Did this Neko have papers on him? Was he a free fiend, or was he ripe for the picking? He felt a smile grow on his face as he finished going through all the possessions that the Neko had. There were no papers. There was nothing stopping him from selling the Neko and making a profit.

There was a god. Demyx felt his body warm up with a heat he didn't think could possibly exist. Balthier had said that he could make a bundle selling a Neko, and that would bring him closer to freedom. It was finally happening, Demyx could almost see it now, that distant future that may or may not have arrived was within reach.

"Suck that, Saix," Demyx said. He grabbed the cold Neko, hoisting both of them up. "Just wait till Xigbar gets a load of this!"

He'd make sure the damn thing lived, no matter what.

* * *

Look, Demyx did something. You see, I did use him. See, see, see! And don't worry, everyone else who was mentioned for a whopping five minutes will be used later on too.

Now review and tell me what a horrible person I am for making you wait.


	15. White Zinnia

The spark of inspiration continues. Hopefully there is more where this one came from.

This chapter isn't as long as the other, being only about 10-11 pages, but I swear the next one will be. I'm going to have to start squeezing more into the next few chapters in order to get things moving at a faster pace. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy.

* * *

-Chapter 15-

There was something exhilarating about not knowing where to go, or when to stop. There was a rush when running, not thinking and just running, without much purpose other than to get away from everything. And it was strangely wonderful. The adrenaline pumped through Luxord's body as he ran down the long road that lead to the mansion, running away from it at top speed, with his boots tied together and hitting his shoulder. He kept on running, even when his lungs began to burn and his stomach twist from lack of blood. He didn't stop when he left the tunnel of decorated trees, or when the mansion was no longer big, but a small decoration. He slowed his pace then, but kept on going. He passed the first town, avoiding it at all costs, though he couldn't explain why he did. He kept going, making sure to stay on some sort of road, at least until they were inhabited by other people. He knew he didn't want to be with other people. He kept running, past wild trees and bushes full of blooming flowers, past small mounds of grass and knolls, taking a left on a fork, another town, fields of workers of all shapes and races, past carts and people riding horses, taking the middle road out of the three, past emptiness, past another town, and when Luxord realized it was nearing the end of the day he broke away from the road altogether and ran into pure wilderness. He kept on going, though by now he was no longer running, not even walking, but was dragging his tired body to whatever destination he was out to find. He kept on going, all night long, full of burning energy and fear, with nothing to defend himself or to nourish him from the long day of continuous running. He hadn't thought about what he had done to Marluxia all day long. He didn't think about the implications of his actions, and he still didn't know where he was going. He kept trudging on throughout the night, ignoring hunger pains and sore muscles, fighting exhaustion and all the other instinctual urges raging through his body, until the crack of dawn, when the morning sky was a wonderful mosaic of blue, purple, pink, and orange. Luxord looked up at the morning sky, spotting a few stars that were still visible, and he saw the moon above him, a white lonely ball in the colorful background. Luxord was mesmerized by this, and then, after nearly a day of moving, he stopped. He stopped moving and continued to stare up at the moon; his mind recalling that he had done something similar before, though he couldn't remember when. And since he had stopped, he had more time to himself, more energy to spend on all the things he had neglected since he started running.

He noticed how quiet it was, how terribly silent the world was now that he had no one to share it with. He had now begun to realize that he had ran past the point of no return miles and miles ago, and he was now lost in a country he knew nothing about. He didn't know where his home was, or where it had been before the mansion. He didn't know a thing. He was truly lost, without anything to him but his name, and even that was questionable. Everything that he had, everything that had been given to him, was miles away, now unreachable. And the man that had given him all these things was gone, dead or dead to him. Everything, that's what it was, Marluxia had been everything to him, and was probably the only thing Luxord could have called something close to his own. It was gone now, gone, gone, gone. And to be replaced with what; there was nothing Luxord craved more at the moment than Marluxia's voice, telling him everything he had done would be corrected, and that he wouldn't have to worry about it, because why should he? Everything he did now was all him, and every effect to his cause would be his as well. With this Luxord yanked his eyes away from the moon, his head now aching with familiarity, and let his legs fall to the soft green floor. He stares at the moist grass, at the dirt and small pebbled, and then crawled into the fetal position. He wondered what had happened to him right before losing his memories, and thought how strange it would be if he fell asleep and forgot about it all over again? He would be upset, just as he had when he awoke, but he was sure it would be for the best. He didn't want to think about his predicament, about losing the man he was sure he was in love with, so having his memories taken from him again seemed more like a grace from god than anything else.

Luxord eventually closed his eyes, and he eventually fell asleep. He didn't cry. He didn't even attempt to feel sorry for himself. He just hoped, when he awoke, something would happen to him, and all of this would change and he could have a good enough reason to move on. It didn't have to be positive, it could be anything.

Anything.

* * *

Axel groaned. His joints ached. He grabbed his shoulders, rubbing them together, his eyes closed and face nestled in the sheets. His toes stretched out and felt the top blanket above him. Everything felt worn, but soft and most importantly, warm. He wondered whether he was dreaming. He opened his eyes and discovered that he was covered in twisted sheets, his whole body wrapped in welcoming soft fabric.

He tossed around the bed, untangling himself from the covers, and sat up on the bed. He crossed his legs, blinking several times as he tries to figure where he was. Axel couldn't remember much. He could recall the snow, the cold, worry, fear, and then after there was hardly anything at all.

"Where am I?"

Axel looked around the small room, making out the window just a few feet away. He slowly got out of the bed, taking small steps over to the window with his stiff legs. He leaned against the wall and peeked through the glass frame.

People. Lots and lots of people walking around. Some of them had children following them, others had bags or baskets full of tools, food, cloth, or strange articles Axel had never seen before. There were females, and there were males. There were large buildings all over the place, not nearly as big as the one Roxas had lived in, but looking quite sturdy and strangely welcoming. Each one looked like the next, with strong foundation and hard rock walls, with a messy top made from smooth looking plates. The ground was a mixture of things; the middle was paved with stone, much like the entrance to Roxas' mansion, the rest was dirt that had been walked over so many times that it was hard and smooth. There was hardly any grass to be seen. There were no trees. There was hardly any snow.

Axel took a step back and looked around the room again. He was in one of the buildings.

"How did I get here?"

Just as he asked this the door behind him swung open. Axel jumped back, hitting himself against the wall and stumbled to the floor. He looked up, his eyes wide with fear. He stared over at the figure walking in, and almost immediately realized that he was dressed in a familiar dark coat. He recognized that outfit.

"You…"

The young man, who was about to close the door, froze and turned around, facing Axel with a blank expression. Axel leered, staring into open aquamarine eyes. He knew better than to trust that expression, he didn't forget what had happened the last time he was with those coated strangers.

"Oh…you're awake."

Axel hissed.

The cloaked man produced a sharp yelp, backing to the door. Axel heard a click and realized that the man had locked it. He growled loudly.

"Hey, hey," the man said, trembling just a little. "That's…not how to…treat…treat the guy who saved you…"

Axel pulled himself up. He continued to stare at the man, testing his reactions. He didn't sound as confident as the others. He looked frightened, almost terrified of him. Nevertheless Axel kept his composure, breathing hard and letting his tails quickly sway from side to side.

"Saved?" He scoffed, "right, like I'm supposed to believe that?"

The cloaked figure nodded his head.

"Uh-huh," he said. "I found you buried in the snow."

Axel hissed again, this time baring his teeth. He continued to breathe heavily, hoping it would be enough to scare away the man. He didn't have his claws to protect him, and he'd rather not have to fight.

"You were passed out…"

He growled.

"I saved your life," he said weakly.

Axel sneered and took a step forward. The man trembled pathetically. He really was nothing like the other two who had captured him before.

"Please, just listen," he said. He lifted his free arm and pointed over at the table on the other side of the bed. Axel made a quick glance and saw that his few belongings were there.

"What is this?"

"I told you," he said. "I saved your life."

"You locked the door…"

"Can you blame me for being fearful?" he asked, trying to produce a nervous smile.

Axel relaxed himself. He was beginning to believe this man. He didn't seem to have any noticeable weapons on him, and he was acting rather submissive. There was no sign that he was lying to him.

"Yeah, that's it," the cloaked man said. "You just need to calm down?"

"Where am I?"

"What?"

"This place?" Axel asked. "Where am I, how did I get here?"

"Oh," he said. He shrugged, "This place…I think it's called, Domadia, or Demidia…"

"Where are we?"

"What? I just told you," the man said.

Axel shook his head. He needed a map. Roxas had shown him where home was, and where the two of them were located. He needed to find that place on a map, and then ask this guy to show him where they were.

"Do you have a map?"

"What?" he asked.

"I need a map!" Axel said frantically.

"Yeesh, calm down already," he said. He then pointed to a small duffle bag lying next to the table. "I have a map…but I can't get to it unless you promise me you won't attack me."

Axel sighed.

"Go on," he said.

The young man hurried over to the small dark bag lying on the floor. Axel watched, standing on his toes as he tried to get a better look at what was going on. He still wasn't sure whether he could trust this guy or not. What if he pulled out a weapon? That thing that went 'bang'? Axel let a hand rest on his old wound. He continued to stare, and noticed a few vials within the bag full of a strange, light green liquid. He tried to get a better look, but then a gloved hand closed the bag.

"Here," he said, handing the map over to Axel.

Axel grabbed it from the man, and then opened it up and spread it across the bed.

"You're welcome."

Axel didn't listen and tried to spot the spot Roxas had showed him. It was hard. This map looked different from Roxas'. It wasn't as detailed as his, and it was worn out from use. But there was only one piece of land, no other country for him to get confused over.

"Where is it?" Axel placed his hand on the worn out map. He stared at the corner; his eyes on the large arrow pointing up at the N. Roxas said they were far up north.

He stared at a few mountains that decorated the top and noticed a large marker surrounded by a few dots. The mountains were far away from the mansion. He continued down south, stopping when he hit the next marker. This one had to be it, as there was no other markers close by.

"This is it," Axel said. He looked over to the young man who was staring at his with an impatient expression. "Come over here."

"What?"

"Point out where we are," Axel said.

"You got a finger on the map," he said.

"No…just do it," Axel said. He didn't know how to explain his situation. He knew he was in no position to talk about where he had been. Roxas had bought him, and somehow Axel had a feeling that this bit of information would bite him in the back if it was let out.

"Here." Axel saw a gloved finger point at a small dot on the map. It was farther down south, in the west. Axel stared at it for a few seconds, looking at the few details that the map possessed. There was another giant marker at the most western point, right where the land ended. Axel frowned. He remembered wanting to see the ocean.

"I went pretty far…"

"You were traveling all alone?"

Axel turned and looked at the young man next to him. He stared back, with quiet, almost understanding expression. He was nothing like the others. This one seemed different.

"I'm looking for someone," he answered.

"Who?" he asked.

"A friend," Axel answered. He thought for a moment and went on. "He's just like me, only lighter, and a bit taller. He has-"

"Woah there," the cloaked man said. He smiled, "Uhm, sorry, but I can't really help you."

"Huh?" Axel asked.

"I'm not allowed to offer services to someone who isn't a citizen of this country," he said. "It' the law and all, but even if I could, I'm currently on duty, and I need to be somewhere…"

Citizen? Axel didn't know what that was. However, from the way it sounded, it seemed this man could possibly be of use to him. Axel remembered how Roxas had handed the two Hunters from before a bag of coins. Obviously munny was the way to these Hunters' hearts.

"Wait, so you can help me find Luxord?" Axel asked.

"What, who is Luxord?"

"My friend!" Axel turned to the window. "I lost him ages ago, and I need to find him before I can go back home."

"Lost him…I don't think…"

"You don't think I'll find him?" Axel asked. He grit his teeth together, feeling himself grow frustrated. "let me guess, you think he's a servant or something?"

"Well…"

Axel turned and faced the Hunter.

"Actually," he said, his tone changing to a much lighter one, "I think I might know where he is."

Axel' eyes brightened up. "Really?"

"Uhm, yeah," he said. "You see, I'm on my way to this really big city, and it's full of Nekos." He grinned. "Your friend is sure to be there, I guarantee it!"

Axel smiled. He felt his heart race with excitement. Finally, things were starting to look up. He looked over at his bag, and then suddenly felt doubt.

"I don't have any munny," he said.

"Oh, oh that won't be a problem."

"What? Are you sure," Axel asked.

"Oh yes," the young man replied. He rested a hand on Axel's shoulder, staring at him with a very ecstatic expression. "How's about this? I won't charge you unless we find him, and then we'll work on some sort of agreement then, ok?"

"Uhm…"

"I won't make you pay, you'll just have to do a few chores for me, carry my bags around, nothing to strenuous," he said. "Just stick with me. I'll take you there, and I'll make sure you're safe from any wild animals, fiends, or demons that may be out there."

Axel couldn't believe how well this was turning out. He had worried over how he would be able to avoid Roxas, especially since the boy had made it clear that he was his property. But this Hunter seemed very promising. He didn't look like a fighter, but he acted like he knew what he was doing. Perhaps Luxord was there too, they'd be able to get back home…

"Home…"

"Are you ok?"

Axel looked at the Hunter and nodded. "Yeah…" He looked down at the map. Home seemed so far away, even on that piece of paper. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," he heard the Hunter say. "Consider me your hired man…err…"

"Axel."

"Right," the Hunter said.

"What's your name?" Axel asked.

"Hmm, you want to know my name?" he asked.

"Yeah," Axel said. He couldn't help but notice the chain loosely hanging from the dirty blonde's neck. He saw tags hanging at the very bottom. For some reason, he couldn't help but remember the collar. "Why, wouldn't I want to know?"

"I guess," he said. "Anyways, I'm Demyx."

Axel broke contact from the tags and looked up at Demyx.

"Great," he said. "So when do we hightail it outta here?"

Demyx chuckled. "Well, give me an hour to prepare, and then we can take a coach. It won't be a good one, since we're not exactly welcomed folk, but we should be there in a couple of days."

Axel didn't care how the couches looked. He was just so happy. He was finally getting the help he needed. He didn't need Roxas' help anymore, and he didn't have to do this alone.

"Demyx?"

"Yeah," he said.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Demyx said, looking away. Axel was sure he was being overly modest.

"I'm serious," he said. "This really means a lot to me."

"Yeah, just…don't mention it."

* * *

Roxas sat quietly on the red velvet armchair, silently staring at the collar with his family's crest decorated on it. He should have known better than to give Axel so much freedom. He had frightened the Neko away, and at the worst time possible. The weather was getting warmer, and that meant Axel would be able to travel at greater distances. Worse, people would be traveling more, and a Neko without any papers on him was considered a runaway slave, and without information on who he belonged, chances were he would be sold. Even with the aid of a Hunter or Guardian, there was no guarantee that he would ever see him again.

Roxas rubbed his temples, trying desperately to think of something, anything that would help him. Axel could be anywhere by now. Anyone could have spotted him, taken him, and had him sold off to any part of the country.

He could try to write a short summary down and have it sent out, perhaps raise awareness that he was a runaway slave, and that he belonged to someone wealthy. Maybe he could use the greed of the common people to help him. His parents and sister had never done it, figuring it a waste of funds, but Roxas was willing to give it a go. There weren't too many Neko's like Axel, so the search wouldn't take too long.

But what bothered him most was that Axel ha left, right after he had tried to explain something to him. Axel didn't even give him a chance at explain himself, he just ran off. Why did he have to leave? The answer came quicker than Roxas expected. It was Luxord. The other one. Axel wouldn't ever stop talking about him, and now he was set to find him. Roxas was only getting that he probably deserved. He had promised Axel that he would find the Neko, with the intent of never fulfilling said promise. It was a distraction. And now Axel was gone, gone.

And what would happen if he tried to find Axel? He couldn't imagine that the Neko would be pleased to be captured all over again and sent back here.

What was he going to do?

Roxas let the collar drop to the floor. He sank into his seat, feeling his face heat up with rage. This shouldn't have happened. What would his sister say when she got home? Probably that he was useless, didn't know what he was doing, and was better off not trying to make business transactions. And maybe she would be right. Why did he think taming a wild Neko would be a good idea?

He bit his lip.

"Master Roxas?"

Roxas looked over at the young woman standing at the entrance to the room.

"The carriage has been packed," she said.

"Oh, thank you," Roxas said. His voice was a little shaky. "I'll be there shortly."

"Will you need a coat?"

"No, I'll be fine," Roxas answered, getting up from his seat. He fixed himself up and walked over to the door. "Make sure things are kept the way they are will my sister arrives."

"Shall I inform her of your reasons for leaving?"

Roxas sighed, "she deserves to know."

"Yes Sir," she replied.

"Don't send it out now though, wait a few days," Roxas answered. "I don't want her to cause a scene or try to go after me." He sighed again, knowing just how much trouble he'd get into for leaving the property without decent notice. "Right now is an important time for her…"

Roxas hurried outside and stared at the white carriage in front of him. Instead of horses were white chobocos, which were normally used for races or aide, were now tied with harnesses. They didn't look as elegant as horses, but they would be fast enough for him to travel. Axel could have gone in just about any direction, and the more time that went by meant a lesser chance of finding him. Hopefully these birds would speed up the process.

Roxas opened the carriage door, taking one last look at the mansion. He had a feeling that he could never show his face here again, either out of shame or humiliation, or the pain of failure.

He gulped, pushing the feeling aside and went inside the carriage. He'd be here soon, and with Axel.

First things first, he needed to find Luxord.

* * *

"Marluxia…"

…

It was so hot. He felt so hot. It was unbearable.

"Please, wake up…"

…

"Marluxia…"

He could feel something, something soft. It was so much cooler, softer. His body ached, burned. His chest was on fire.

"It's ok…"

…

"Please, Marluxia…"

A soothing hand, brushing against his heated cheeks, reminding him of all those times, years ago, when he would call for his mother's attention when he was in need. He remembered even after all these years of living alone with just his father, who never seemed to have the time for him. He could feel those small hands, resting on his and beckoning him closer…

"Marluxia, please, wake up."

He wished he could. He wished he could so more than writhe about in pain, feeling sorry for his very existence.

Marluxia wished it were all over. He wanted to be able to look past this and laugh, scolding himself for not telling Luxord to me more careful about those claw. Now he knew why they were clipped. So much heat, it must be quite the infection. He must look awful right now. Marluxia didn't know though, he couldn't even open his eyes. There just wasn't enough energy.

How long had Aerith been crying? Marluxia had been diving in and out of consciousness; he wasn't sure how much time had passed since getting attacked. Was Larxene alright? Was Luxord alright?

Was he here? He could hear her cries, but nothing past that.

Where was he?

…

"Marluxia…"

* * *

"You hear that?"

Zack turned away from the flower stand, looking over at Angeal, who was speaking with an older woman. The group of Guardians he was with had been cut to just the two of them, all of them now on different missions of their own. He and Angeal had made the decision to go back to Clathora, and meet Aerith. They were just several hours away from home.

"What?" he asked.

Angeal sighed, keeping his subtle smile on his face. "Typical."

"What? What is it?" Zack pestered. He turned to the woman. She had a very concerned look on her face. "Is something the matter?" he asked her.

"Oh, it's those Hunters," she muttered.

"What about them," Zack asked.

"Zack, manners," Angeal said.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"They've terrorized the town last night," the women said, looking down and shaking.

"What?" Angeal asked.

"Hunters aren't allowed to harm people," Zack said. "What on earth were they thinking?"

"It wasn't the people they were attacking," Angela mattered. "No Hunter would risk their lives unless it was something they could harm."

"It was a fay."

Angeal's eyes widened, his face going pale. After a while he gave a long sigh, finally nodding his head after realizing that had just gone on the night before. "I see…"

"A what?" Zack asked. He turned to Angeal, not understanding what was going on. "What's a fay?"

"Something that Hunter's despise," Angeal said without looking at Zack. He crossed his arms. "Do you know where the fay is now?"

"One of the Hunters captured her and took her as his trophy," the woman answered. "He left several hours ago."

"Which way did he go?"

"I think North from here," she answered.

Angeal nodded, "and the others?"

"West, probably back to their horrible city, Troga," she said.

"I understand," Angeal said. He finally turned to Zack, "well?

Zack didn't have to guess what he'd have to do. But he couldn't help but look over to the green plains, knowing that his love was just a walk away from here.

"Let me guess, I got to find a couple of Hunters and give them a scolding for disturbing the peace?"

"Actually no," Angeal said. "You're not at a high enough rank to do that. You'll be the one to rescue and free the fay. I'll be the one to do the scolding."

Zack's jaw dropped.

"Don't worry," Angeal said, smiling. "I have faith in you."

"I…what's a fay?" Zack asked.

"Red hair, blue eyes, hates people," Angeal said. "By the way, once you free her, I suggest you make a quick dash back to Clathora. Fay aren't exactly friendly towards humans."

"Red hair…" Zack muttered. He looked and saw Angeal walking away from him. He panicked. "Wait, Angeal!"

"I'll meet you at Clathora when we're done!" Angeal waved, continuing on his way.

Zack felt his arm s drop to the sides. He turned to the older woman and forced a smile on his face.

"So…what does this Hunter look like?"

"He was tall, had a very thin build, and he carried guns," she said.

That could be anybody.

"Uhm, anything else?"

"He was wearing dark clothes?"

All Hunters were dressed in black.

"So, it was north, right?"

"May have been northwest," she corrected herself.

"Right," Zack said. He had to head northwest, looking for a Hunter with a thin frame, with a female fay…which had red hair and blue eyes. It wasn't much, but it was something to go by.

"This better not take too long," he said, walking away from the woman. He looked past the flower stand and sighed, knowing it might be awhile before he saw Aerith again. And there was so much for him to catch up on. He hadn't seen her or Marluxia in such a long time…

He chuckled, remembering how upset the man had been when he decided to become a Guardian.

"Wonder how Marluxia's doing?" he asked himself. He walked out of the small village, continuing to think about his love. Maybe Angeal would get their first, and he'd let her know he was alright. Marluxia would still have a fit.

Zack placed his hand in his pocket, pulling out a very worn piece of paper. He carefully unfolded it, making sure the slightly torn edges wouldn't give way. He stared at the letter, rereading it as he continued to make his way in the necessary direction. There was a lot Aerith was eager to who him once he arrived. The new flowers that were blooming, the new books she had purchased, including one written by Sephiroth, even better; she had spoken to the man not too long ago, and then…

"Right, I forgot," he said, stopping at an unfamiliar name. "Luxord's living there now." He had seen many Neko;s before, most of them were the northern breed. It would be his first time seeing a free, southern breed. From what the letter said, he seemed like a nice guy.

"Can't wait to meet him."

* * *

Now, one of the things I noticed was there isn't a lot of yaoiness going on. I was definitely putting the story first before the smex. However, one of the things I've been debating over was putting in some more, not a lot, but a few moments here and there. Mind you, Luxord has no memory, and his morals aren't 100% straight. I could easily have him possibly flirting or being taken advantage of if I wanted to. This story is going to get more disturbing anyways, so why not have him doing these things as well? Give me your opinion in a review, and I'll consider your feelings about it. Of course, your review must contain information about this chapter, otherwise the story will become interactive, so don't just give me your opinion on this matter, tell me what you actually think about this story too.


End file.
